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BEHA   'U'LLAH 

{The  Glory  of  God) 


PART  I. 


fiUL^e^di^^ 


BEHA   'U'LLAH 

( The  Glory  of  God) 


BY 

Ibrahim  George  Kheiralla 


ASSISTED   BV 


Howard  MacNutt 


"  Ye  are  My  witnesses,  saith  the  Lord,  and  My  servant 
whom  I  have  chosen ;  that  ye  may  know  and  believe 
Me,  and  understand  that  I  am  He :  before  Me  there  was 
no  God  formed,  neither  shall  there  be  after  Me." 

"  I,  even  I  am  the  Lord,  and  beside  Me  there  is  no 
Saviour."  Isa.  xliii,  lo,  1 1. 

"And  why  even  of  yourselves,  judge  ye  not  what  is 
right  ? "  Luke  xii,  57. 


1 900 

G.    KHRIRALLA,   PUBLISHBK 
4001    CRAND    BLVD. 
CH  tC  AGO 


Copyrighted  1899 
By  Ibrahim  George  Kheiralla. 

All  Rights  Resehred. 


HOLLISTBR  BROTHERS,  PRINTERS,  CHICAGCV 


STACK  ANNEX 

6P 


DEDICATORY. 

We  say  unto  you,  as  Philip  said  unto  Nathaniel, 
— *'We  have  found  Him  of  whom  Moses  in  the 
law,  and  the  prophets  did  write ; "  of  whom  our 
Great  Master,  Jesus  of  Nazareth  did  prophesy. 

"The  Everlasting  Father,"  "The  Prince  of 
Peace,"  *'  The  Lord  of  the  Vineyard  "  has  come  to 
His  people. 

To  the  Believers  of  the  United  States  of 
America,  this  book  is  cordially  dedicated  by  the 
author. 


PREFACE. 

Over  seven  years  ago,  I  began  to  preach  the 
fulfillment  of  the  truth  which  Christ  and  the 
prophets  foretold ;  the  message  of  the  establish- 
ment of  the  Kingdom  of  God  upon  earth. 

Since  then,  thousands  of  the  people  of  this 
country  have  believed  and  accepted  the  glad 
tidings  of  the  appearance  of  the  Lord  of  Hosts, 
the  Everlasting  Father,  the  Incarnation  of  Deity, 
and  this  glorious  message  is  rapidly  spreading 
throughout  the  United  States.  I  now  consider  it 
necessary  to  publish  these  teachings  which  have 
hitherto  been  restricted  to  oral  delivery.  In  many 
cases,  through  failure  to  remember  them  correctly, 
they  have  been  misrepresented  and  misquoted. 
This  volume  will,  I  hope,  annul  such  error,  re- 
strict antagonism  to  facts,  prevent  further  mis- 
understanding of  the  truth  of  God,  and  benefit 
souls  who  seek  true  salvation,  by  proving  to  them 
this  great  message  of  the  Manifestation  of  the 
Father. 

Concerning  myself,  be  it  said  that  I  was"  bom 
in  Mount  Lebanon,  Syria,  and  am  now  a  citizen  of 
the  United  States.  In  Cairo,  Egypt,  where  I  lived 
twenty-one  years,  I  met  my  teacher,  Abd-el-Karim 
Eflfendi  Teharani,  who  delivered  to  me  the  message 
of  this  great  truth  and  proved  it  from  the  Moham- 
medan standpoint,  which  is  not  sufficient  to  con- 
vince one  grounded  as  I  was  in  Christian  doctrine 

vii 


viii  Preface. 

and  belief.  His  earnestness  however,  commanded 
my  deepest  attention  and  respect.  After  receiving 
from  him  the  announcement  of  the  Manifestation 
of  God,  I  commenced  studying  this  question  from 
a  scientific  and  biblical  standpoint,  at  the  same 
time  praying  fervently  to  God  for  enlightenment 
and  guidance  to  the  truth. 

My  prayers  were  answered  and  my  researches 
proved  fruitful,  for  I  discovered  that  all  Spiritual 
truths  are  reasonable  and  capable  of  clearer  demon- 
stration than  material  facts. 

God  is  One.  From  Him,  proceed  all  things 
which  exist,  and  all  His  laws  spiritual  and  ma- 
terial are  in  perfect  harmony.  Therefore,  any 
proposition  or  principle  not  capable  of  proof  by  all 
the  laws  bearing  upon  it,  or  which  in  any  way 
falsifies  or  sets  aside  known  laws,  cannot  be  ac- 
cepted as  truth  which  leads  to  a  knowledge  of 
God.  For  this  reason,  every  point  of  these  teach- 
ings, is  proved  step  by  step,  from  the  ground  of 
science,  logic  and  common  sense ;  by  laws  natural 
and  spiritual  and  by  utterances  of  the  prophets 
throughout  all  ages.  In  discovering  these  proofs, 
I  was  convinced  thoroughly  that  what  I  had  been 
taught  concerning  the  Manifestation  of  the  Ever- 
lasting Father,  was  an  evident  reality.  From  this 
conviction  of  the  truth,  I  began  to  teach  it,  utiliz- 
ing the  proofs  and  demonstrations  which  I  had 
originated  for  my  own  enlightenment.  These  are 
the  teachings  I  have  brought  to  this  country. 
The  lessons  are  delivered  according  to  the  system 
followed  in  this  book. 


Preface.  ix 

My  purpose  is  to  prove  to  the  world,  from  a 
biblical  as  well  as  from  a  scientific  standpoint,  that 
spiritual  facts  can  be  demonstrated  logically  and 
scientifically  and  that  the  Everlasting  Father,  the 
Prince  of  Peace,  has  appeared  in  the  human  form 
as  Beha  'U'llah  and  established  His  Kingdom  upon 
earth.  Beha  'U'llah,  of  whom  I  preach,  is  the  One 
mentioned  by  an  American  missionary,  the  Rev. 
Henry  H.  Jessup,  D.  D.  of  Beyrout,  Syria,  in  an 
address  delivered  before  the  "  Parliament  of 
Religions"  in  Chicago,  1893. 

In  *'  Parliament  of  Religions "  page  640,  he 
says:  "In  the  palate  of  Behjeh,  or  Delight,  just 
outside  the  fortress  of  Acre  on  the  Syrian  coast, 
there  died  a  few  months  since,  a  famous  Persian  sage 
—the  Babi  Saint  named  Behd  'U'llah,  the  *  Glory 
of  God,'  the  head  of  that  vast  reform  party  of  Persian 
Moslems  who  accept  the  New  Testament  as  the 
word  of  God,  and  Christ  as  the  deliverer  of  men  ; 
who  regard  all  nations  as  one  and  all  men  as 
brothers.  Three  years  ago  he  was  visited  by  a 
Cambridge  scholar,  and  gave  utterance  to  senti- 
ments so  noble,  so  Christlike,  that  we  repeat  them 
as  our  closing  words. 

"  That  all  nations  should  become  one  in  faith, 
and  all  men  as  brothers ;  that  the  bonds  of  affec- 
tion and  unity  between  the  sons  of  men  should  be 
strengthened  ;  that  diversity  of  religion  should 
cease,  and  differences  of  race  be  annulled  ;  what 
harm  is  there  in  this?  Yet  so  it  shall  be;  these 
fruitless  strifes,  these  ruinous  wars  shall  pass  away 
and  the  '  most  great  peace '  shall  come.     Do  not 


X  Preface. 

you  in  Europe  need  this  also  ?  Let  not  a  man 
glory  in  this  that  he  loves  his  country  ;  let  him 
rather  glory  in  this,  that  he  loves  his  kind." 

Each  prophet  of  God  brought  to  humanity  a 
cup  of  the  wine  of  Truth.  The  ^followers  of  the 
prophets  however,  did  not  consider  the  wine  in 
the  cup,  but  devote^  their  attention  to  the  quality 
and  .color  of  the  cup  itself;  that  is  to  say,  they 
respected  the  individuality  of  their  particular  pro- 
phet, rather  than  the  Truth  he  brought  them. 
For  this  reason,  although  God's  messages  to  hu- 
manity have  always  been  one  and  the  same  in  their 
teaching,  yet  religious  beliefs  of  mankind  have 
differed  on  account  of  the  color  of  the  cup  which 
held  them. 

The  purpose  of  this  new  religion  is  to  destroy 
these  differences  and  put  the  wine  of  God's  Truth 
into  His  cup;  to  spread  the  religion  of  God's 
teaching,  in  place  of  the  teachings  bearing  the 
name  of  this  or  that  prophet.  By  receiving  this, 
all  races  of  mankind  will  merge  into  one  great 
human  family,  realizing  that  they  are  one  people, 
one  kindred,  and  united  in  religious  belief 

Before  presenting  the  evidences  and  arguments 
which  follow,  the  attention  of  the  reader  is  directed 
to  an  important  point  which  demands  careful  con- 
sideration, and  which,  if  followed  to  its  legitimate 
conclusion,  will  reveal  the  truth.  The  point  is 
this : — before  attempting  to  consider  this  subject, 
all  religious  bias  and  prejudice  should  be  set  aside 
as  completely  as  possible,  in  order  that  reason  and 
judgment  may  have  free  exercise.     Without  a  clear, 


Preface.  xl 

untrammeled  and  sincerely  receptive  condition  of 
mind,  it  will  be  a  waste  of  time  to  read  this  book. 
The  reason  is  obvious.  We  seldom  encounter  a 
person  who  is  ready  to  read  or  discuss  a  religious 
idea  or  doctrine,  without  prejudice,  particularly  if 
that  idea  or  doctrine  concerns  a  fundamental  point 
of  creed  or  Church.  People  often  reject  the  truth, 
although  it  is  as  clearly  proven  to  them  as  the  light 
of  the  sun.  This  arises  froni  the  fact  that  they  hold 
their  religious  ideas  as  truths  beyond  que'sfion,  hav- 
ing either  depended  upon  somebody  else  to  think  for 
tljem  or  treasured  their  beliefs  from  childhood. 
Beliefs  implanted  in  childhood  are  particularly 
difficult  to  change  or  eradicate  in  later  years.  We 
must  therefore  be  careful  to  lay  aside  everything 
which  savors  of  pride  of  intellect,  religious  an- 
tagonism, intolerance  and  bigotry,  in  order  that 
comprehension  of  the  truth  may  not  escape  us. 
Comprehension  is  the  door  or  gate  by  which  Truth 
enters  the  soul  and  it  frequently  happens  that  pride 
nails  the  sig^  of  "  no  admittance  "  over  that  gate- 
way while  the  Truth,  not  comprehended,  passes  by 
without  entering. 

God  the  Almighty  has  made  man  higher  than 
the  brute  creation,  and  endowed  him  with  superior 
faculties  collectively  called  Mind.  These  faculties 
enable  us  to  judge  between  good  and  evil,  dis- 
tinguish truth  from  falsehood.  Mind  is  therefore 
the  lamp  or  light  by  which  our  walk  in  life  must 
be  guided.  Man  is  created  perfect  in  his  limita- 
tion. Upon  him  alone,  God  has  bestowed  the  god- 
power  of  independence,  the  will  to  choose  good  or 


xii  Preface. 

evil  as  he  pleases.  It  follows  therefore,  that  the 
record  of  our  lives  must  be  good  or  bad,  according 
to  the  use  we  make  of  this  talent,  and  that  we 
must  be  judged  according  to  our  record,  otherwise 
we  would  not  be  responsible  for  our  actions,  but 
would  exist  under  the  same  blameless  conditions 
as  animals  and  inanimate  matter ;  no  higher,  no 
greater  than  they. 

In  view  of  this  fact,  all  doctrines,  laws  and 
commandments  given  by  God  through  his  prophets 
and  Apostles  for  our  spiritual  welfare,  must  be  in 
strict  harmony  and  accord  with  Mind,  our  only 
light  and  guide.  If  we  find  that  commands  and 
teachings  said  to  be  from  God,  are  not  in  harmony 
with  this  light,  we  may  be  sure  that  they  are  in- 
ventions and  teachings  of  man  and  not  of  God. 
It  is  then  our  duty  to  reject  them  as  spurious. 
Under  such  conditions,  we  are  justified  in  declar- 
ing that  they  are  not  from  God,  for  He  never 
would  give  and  never  has  given  us  unjust  or  un- 
reasonable commands.  As  God  is  just,  He  will  not 
hold  us  responsible  for  violation  of]  aws  which  we  can- 
not comprehend,  particularly  when  upon  investiga- 
tion of  those  laws,  we  find  them  in  direct  opposi- 
tion to  the  light  of  reason,  which  He  has  bestowed 
upon  us  as  our  guide  toward  Him.  There  would 
be  no  evidence  of  His  Love,  Justice,  and  Mercy,  in 
this.  Therefore  whenever  we  encounter  teach- 
ings which  violate  Reason,  we  are  justified  in  con- 
cluding that  they  are  not  from  God,  but  have  had 
their  origin  in  the  ignorance  or  purpose  of  men, 
and  should  be  vigorously  rejected. 


Preface.  xHi 

God  the  Almighty  is  Infinite  Justice.  His 
Truth  must  be  conformable  to  Reason,  and  within 
the  limits  of  our  comprehension.  There  is  no 
higher  utterance  predicated  of  Him  than  ' '  Come 
now  and  let  us  reason  together." 

The  attitude  of  "seeking"  Truth,  is,  after  all, 
the  most  necessary  factor  in  finding  it.  Christ  and 
all  the  God-inspired  men  urged  this  continually. 
People  who  are  so  slothful  and  careless  spiritually 
that  they  make  no  efibrt  to  understand  Gods  laws 
and  commands,  must  take  the  inevitable  conse- 
quences. Christ  likened  them  to  the  man  whose  Lord 
gave  unto  him  one  talent  which  he  hid  in  the  earth. 
As  a  punishment  for  his  negligence,  the  talent 
was  taken  from  him  and  given  "unto  him  which 
hath  ten  talents";  i.  e.  to  the  diligent  and  earnest 
seeking,  who  prefers  the  world  to  come,  rather  than 
this  present  and  short-lived  existence. 

May  the  Light  of  the  Truth  now  spreading 
from  the  Kingdom  of  God  upon  earth,  illumine  all 
who  seek  and  knock  earnestly  at  the  door  of  Sal- 
vation; who  lay  aside  pride  and  antagonism  of 
belief  and  have  the  courage  to  think  for  them- 
selves. 

Ibrahim  G.  Kheiralla. 

January  ist,  1900. 


CONTENTS 


Chapter  I.  pagb 
Proof  of  the  Existence  ' 
and  Immortality  of  the 
Soul,  from  a  Scientific 
and    Logical    Stand- 
point     .  , .     .     .     .       15 
Description  and  Analy- 
sis of  the  Nine  Facul- 
ties   . 32 


Chapter  II. 

Mind     . 


41 


Chapter  III. 

Ufe 55 

Sleep 60 

Breathing  and  the  Invol- 
untary Motions     .      .63 
Insanity 64 

Chapter  IV. 
The  Identity  of  Gdd       .       67 

Chapter  V. 
The  Oneness  and  Single- 
ness of  God       ...       91 

Chapter  VI. 

Miracles 105 

The  Bush  of  Moses     .  iii 
The   Stick   of  Moses 

and  Aaron     .      .     .  iii 

Jonah  and  the  Whale  114 
Joshua    Commanding 
the   Sun    to   Stand 

Still 115 

The  Tower  of  Bab-el  115 

The  Apostles   Speak-  * 
ing    Many   I,an- 

guages      ....  117 
Christ  Changing  Water 

into  Wine      .     .     ,  118 

The  I/oaves  and  Fishes  1 19 

The  Devils  and  Swine  120 

Raising  of  Lazarus  121 

The  Star  of  Bethlehem  1 22 


Chapter  VII.  pagb 

•  The  Return  of  the  Soul     125 

What  is  Death     ...     140 


Chapter  VIII. 
Fvolution    . 


143 


Chapter  IX. 
The  Purpose  of  Our 
Coming  Here,  Ac- 
cording to  Other  Re- 
ligions ....  157 
Judaism  and  the 
Teachings  of  Moses    158 


Hindoo  Religions 

160 

Christianity 

162 

Mohammedanism 

163 

Theosophy        .     . 

165 

Christian  Science 

166 

Spiritism      .    ,.     . 

167 

Chapter  X. 

The    Vicarious    Atone 

. 

ment       .... 

169 

Chapter  XI. 
Christ  and  His  Mission    189 

Chapter  XII. 
Salvation 209 

Chapter  XIII. 
The  Necessities  of  the 
Soul 223 

Chapter  XIV. 

.    Prayer  .      .      .      .      .      .     233 

Chapter  XV. 

Adam 249 

Chapter  XVI. 

Adam   (Cain  and  Abel)    275 


BEHA   'U'LLAH 

'  CHAPTER  I. 

PROOF  OK  THE   EXISTENCE  AND  IMMORTALITY  OF 

THE  SOUL,  FROM   A  SCIENTIFIC '  AND 

LOGICAL  STANDPOINT. 

Ages  have  passed  since  the  dawn  of  human  his- 
tory. Civilizations  have  followed  civilizations,  in 
continuously  higher  development,  and  the  religious 
beliefs  of  mankind  have  risen  with  them,  from  rude 
barbarism  of  worship,  to  the  high  and  varied  theo- 
logical forms  of  the  Nineteenth  Century.  Through- 
out all  times,  human  interest  and  longing  have 
centered  in  ' '  Know  thyself. ' '  The  learned  and 
philosophical  of  every  race,  have  sought  along  the 
line  of  this  inquiry,  to  prove  conclusively  the  ex- 
istence of  the  soul  and  its  immortality,  but,  as  yet, 
jio  solution  of  this  momentous  question  has  been 
reached  from  a  scientific  and  logical  standpoint. 

On  the  contrary,  the  outcome  of  all,  or  nearly  all 
investigation  of  soul  phenomena,  has  been,  that 
soul  existence  and  immortality  cannot  be  scientifi- 
cally and  logically  shown,  and  human  hopes,  in 
consequence,  have  inclined  toward  the  belief  that 
through  occultism,  we  may,  in  the  future,  discover 
the  hidden  way  to  a  certainty  of  proof  concerning 
the  life  hereafter. 

15 


i6  Immortality  of  the  Soul. 

The  Rev.  Philip  Moxom,  in  his  paper,  "The 
Proof  of  the  Immortality  of  the  Soul,"  read  by  him 
before  the  Parliament  of  Religions,  in  Chicago  in 
1893,  page  170,  says :  "  A  third  consideration  is, 
that  a  scientific  proof  of  immortality,  is,  at  present, 
impossible,  in  the  ordinary  sense  of  the  phrase 
'scientific  proof.'  " 

A  well-known  divine  of  the  Church  of  England 
(in  his  book,  "  The  Great  Secret,"  page  4)  says  :  "  I 
venture  to  claim  a  hearing,  first  of  all  on  account 
of  the  gravity  of  my  subject.  Can  Imtnortality  be 
proved  by  occult  science  ?  Is  the  survival  of  the 
entire  personality  after  the  temporary  shock  of 
dissolution  through  death,  in  any  degree  demon- 
strable ?  It  is  the  supreme  question  which  every- 
one must  ask,  the  single  great  secret  in  the  solution 
of  which  we  are  all  equally  interested ;  and  I  claim 
the  right,  too,  because  I  have  devoted  so  many 
years  of  my  life  to  that  solution.  In  the  nature  of 
things,  I  must  soon  solve  the  question  for  myself ; 
and  I  should  like,  before  I  pass  out  into  darkness, 
to  leave  on  record,  as  completely  as  may  be,  my 
gropings  toward  the  light." 

On  account  of  this  uncertainty,  many  of  our 
fellow  creatures  have  been  led  astray  and  have 
renounced  their  belief  in  an  existence  after  the 
dissolution  of  the  body;  religious  teachings  have 
been  discarded;  the  sacred  books  cast  away  and 
ridiculed.  Men  have  professed  agnosticism  and 
followed  materialistic  theories,  saying  "There  is  no 
God,  neither  is  there  a  hereafter;"  that  "the  life 
of  man  is  confined  solely  to  the  duration  of  his  ex- 


Immortality  of  the  Soul.  17 

istence  here  upon  earth  ; "  that  his  body  is  "simply 
a  combination  of  material  elements,  like  a  machine, 
and  intellectuality  is  the  result  of  that  combina- 
tion;" that  when  the  "different  parts  of  that 
machine  are  perfect,  we  see  the  motion  which  we 
call  life,  but  when  that  machine  is  broken,  motion 
ceases,  and  there  ensues  a  cessation  of  its  normal 
functions."  "In  like  manner,"  they  say,  "life 
ceases  with  the  death  of  the  body  and  there  is  no 
further  existence." 

Independent  of  these  materialistic  views,  there  is 
a  universal  feeling  of  unrest  and  absolute  uncer- 
tainty amongst  the  peoples  and  religions  of  the 
world,  concerning  immortality.  Men  believe  in 
God,  yet  fear  death  ;  hold  fast  to  religion  and  the 
promise  of  eternity,  yet  tremble  in  dread  at  the 
approach  of  the  grim  destroyer.  Even  the  highest 
exponents  of  religion,  who  spend  their  lives  teach- 
ing and  preaching  of  God,  the  soul,  and  immor- 
tality, are  found  to  shrink  under  the  stress  'of 
bereavement,  when  death  claims  those  near  and 
dear  to  them;  their  weakness  proving,  beyond  doubt, 
that  faith  in  the  soul's  hereafter,  when  not  founded 
upon  knowledge,  is  of  little  value  in  time  of  need. 

So  long  as  we  do  not  know  and  cannot  prove  the 
existence  of  the  soul  and  its  immortality,  we  can- 
not take  sufficient  or  vital  interest  in  our  eternal 
destiny.  We  fail  to  search  the  holy  books  and  know 
the  truth  for  ourselves,  but  depend  upon  some 
teacher  to  think  and  know  for  us.  This  teacher 
is  depending  upon  the  testimony  of  some  other 
teacher,  alive  or  dead.     Everywhere  we  find  flocks 


i8  Immortality  of  tlie  Soul. 

and  their  shepherds,  relying  in  blindness  of  faith 
upon  creeds  they  cannot  comprehend,  professing 
beliefs  they  cannot  reconcile  with  the  fact  and 
truth  of  existence. 

In  order  to  have  proper  and  sufl5cient  interest  in 
spiritual  teachings,  we  must  be  sure  that  the  soul 
is  immortal;  and  this  certainty,  we  cannot  attain, 
unless  we  prove  it  as  conclusively  as  we  prove  ma- 
terial facts.  Knowledge  of  the  soul's  immortality 
arouses  within  us  anxiety  to  know  something  about 
our  life  hereafter;  to  learn  of  our  relationship  to  our 
Creator,  especially  when  we  realize  that  our  life 
here,  is  but  an  atom  of  time  in  Eternity.  We  then 
comprehend  that  there  is  an  all-wise  intention  in 
connection  with  our  life  upon  the  earth ;  that  God 
would  not  allow  us  to  pass  through  this  earth-life 
of  trial  and  suffering,  without  purpose.  This  brings 
to  us  the  realization,  that  our  sojourn  here,  em- 
bodies some  great  privilege,  a  greater  purpose  than 
mere  existence;  which  purpose,  we  must  under- 
stand, in  order  to  perform  our  duties  and  accom- 
plish that  for  which  we  came.  With  this  enlight- 
enment of  knowledge,  we  may  be  ready  and  happy, 
when  the  moment  of  summons  comes  to  cast  aside 
the  body  and  pass  into  the  spiritual  realms. 

As  scientific  demonstration  must  have  its  funda- 
mental principles,  and  as  no  building  can  stand 
without  foundation,  so,  the  foundation  of  all  true 
spiritual  teachings,  must  be  knowledge  that  the 
soul  exists  and  is  immortal.  From  this  foundation, 
we  are  enabled  to  build  into  the  light  of  higher 
truths,  and  reach  spiritual  elevations,  otherwise  un- 


Immortality  of  the  Soul.  19 

attainable.  Without  stairs,  we  cannot  reach  the  top 
floor;  without  the  alphabet,  we  cannot  read  Shake- 
speare ;  without  knowledge  and  surety  of  immor- 
tality, we  cannot  live  in  proper  preparation  for  the 
summons  of  death.  Socrates  defined  philosophy  to 
be  "  a  meditation  upon  and  a  preparation  for  death." 
He  who  does  not  know  how  to  prove  immortality, 
is  not  qualified  to  preach  it,  nor  can  he  teach  with 
power,  spiritual  truth,  which  is  necessarily  founded 
upon  the  soul's  purpose  and  destiny;  although  he 
may  be  learned,  highly  cultured,  and  possess  great 
ability  in  teaching  ethics  and  moralities. 

As  the  Causer  of  all  causes,  the  Creator,  is  One ; 
as  He  created  all  things  after  the  absolute  perfec- 
tion of  His  divine  knowledge  and  wisdom;  and  as 
He  cannot  make  a  mistake,  everything  created  by 
Him,  must  be  perfect  in  its  limitation.  Therefore, 
all  His  laws,  spiritual  and  material,  are  in  harmony. 
Under  these  laws,  we  find  that  spiritual  fact  can  be 
proved  more  certainly  and  plainly  than  material 
fact;  and  that  each  line  of  proof  confirms  the 
other,  as  will  be  shown  later. 

We  do  not  need  to  wait  for  occultism  to  prove 
soul-existence  and  immortality,  nor  to  heed  those 
who  claim  that  scientific  proof  of  this  question  is 
impossible  ;  for  the  time  of  solving  the  difficulty  is 
at  hand,  and  the  remedy  for  unrest  and  uncertainty 
of  belief,  is  within  the  reach  of  all  who  will  seek 
it.  The  existence  and  immortality  of  the  soul,  can 
be  proved  from  a  logical  and  scientific  standpoint, 
more  surely  than  the  existence  and  indestructibility 
of  iron  can  be  shown  by  a  scientist  or  philosopher. 


20  Immortality  of  the  Soul. 

As  it  is  one  of  our  fundamental  principles,  not 
to  believe  in  anything  unless  we  have  sufficient 
evidence  and  proof  of  its  being  a  fact,  we  must 
prove  the  life  hereafter,  or  otherwise  we  cannot 
have  that  certainty  of  belief  in  it,  necessary  for  the 
basis  of  true  spiritual  teachings. 

Science  teaches  us  that  the  earth,  air,  water,  the 
vegetable  kingdom,  and  animal  bodies,  are  compo- 
sitions of  diflferent  material  elements.  By  an 
element,  we  mean  a  simple  substance  or  material 
essence,  which  is,  so  far  as  we  know,  not  composed. 
The  elements  are  between  seventy  and  eighty  in 
number,  most  of  them  solids,  some  liquids,  some 
gases.  Air  is  a  composition  of  the  two  elements 
nitrogen  and  oxygen ;  water,  of  hydrogen  and 
oxygen  ;  the  earth,  and  living  forms  upon  it,  repre- 
sent various  compositions  of  all  the  elements.  The 
body  of  a  man  is  a  composition  of  about  thirty- 
three  of  these  elements. 

Let  us  prove  the  existence  of  matter, —  for  in- 
stance, a  rod  of  iron.  If  a  scientist  is  asked,  "  Does 
this  rod  of  iron  exist?"  his  reply  will  be  :  "Cer- 
tainly." We  then  ask  him  :  "  What  is  iron  ?  "  He 
will  reply:  "Iron  is  a  mineral  element,  having  certain 
qualities  which  distinguish  it  from  all  other  elemen- 
tary substances,  and  human  intelligence  has  named 
it  *  Iron,'  to  express  this  distinction."  "  What  is  the 
essence  of  iron ? "  "Of  what  is  iron  made  ?  "  "  We 
do  not  know  what  the  essence  of  iron  is,  neither  do 
we  know  what  is  the  essence  of  any  other  material 
element."  This  is  beyond  human  knowledge,  and 
transcends  science.    Human  knowledge  and  science 


Immortality  of  the  Soul.  21 

stop  at  this  point,  because  man,  although  endowed 
with  many  great  faculties  and  powers,  has  not  the 
creative  power.  Essence  is  a  creative  secret  Hu- 
man knowledge  has  never  created  an  elementary 
substance.  But  although  we  do  not  and  cannot 
know  what  the  essence  of  iron  is,  we  can  scien- 
tifically prove  that  it  exists.  The  proof  is  this ; 
that  iron  possesses  attributes  or  qualities  which  we 
sense.  It  has  form,  weight  and  density  ;  it  occu- 
pies space,  it  is  rough  or  smooth,  malleable,  ductile; 
it  can  be  changed  into  a  liquid  or  a  gas.  These 
qualities  prove  its  existence.  That  which  has  no 
existence,  has  no  qualities,  and  vice  versa,  that 
which  has  no  qualities,  has  no  existence.  "  Noth- 
ing ' '  does  not  exist,  therefore  it  has  no  qualities. 
"  Nothing  "  has  no  qualities,  therefore  "  nothing  " 
has  no  existence.  Science  teaches  us  that  no  qual- 
ity or  attribute  exists,  unless  there  is  an  essence 
back  of  it ;  neither,  can  essence  exist,  unless  it  has 
qualities.  Therefore  we  prove  the  existence  of 
iron  by  the  existence  of  its  qualities,  which  we 
cognize  through  the  action  of  our  five  senses. 

The  next  step  of  proof,  is  to  show  that  matter  is 
indestructible  ;  that  nothing  is  lost  in  the  economy 
of  the  material  universe.  Everything  in  existence 
is  indestructible,  for  the  reason,  that  although  its 
conditions  may  be  changed  and  modified  in  diiSfer- 
ent  ways,  yet  it  has  inseparable  attributes,  which 
are  always  present,  qualifying  it,  and  proving  its 
existence.  The  rod  of  iron  has  form  and  weight, 
which  are  two  of  its  inseparable  qualities.  If, 
through  the  agency  of  heat,  we  change  the  rod  into 


22  Immortality  of  the  Soul. 

a  ball  or  cube,  both  form  and  weight  remain.  In- 
crease the  heat,  and  the  iron  becomes  liquid,  still 
possessing  those  two  qualities.  Under  heat  suffi- 
ciently intense,  the  liquid  iron  becomes  a  gas,  but 
neither  form  nor  weight  have  been  taken  away 
from  it.  They  are  qualities  which  cannot  be  sepa- 
rated from  the  essence  which  we  call  iron.  No 
matter  how  its  conditions  are  modified  or  changed, 
this  essence  always  occupies  space,  and  possesses 
weight,  and  the  same  fact  applies  to  the  other 
inseparable  qualities,  which  cling  to  the  essence 
wherever  it  goes.  Therefore  essence  is  always  in 
existence,  and  cannot  be  destroyed.  Scientists 
concede,  after  a  wide  range  of  exhaustive  experi- 
ments, that  there  is  no  waste  in  nature,  and  that 
the  essence  of  matter  is  indestructible.  Recapitu- 
lating this  line  of  proof, —  we  do  not  know  the 
essence  of  matter, —  yet  we  know  that  it  has  quali- 
ties. Back  of  these  qualities,  must  be  the  essence 
to  which  they  belong.  These  qualities  are  insepa- 
rable from  the  essence;  they  cling  to  the  essence 
wherever  it  goes,  proving  its  existence  and  inde- 
structibility. 

This  is  the  very  strongest  scientific  proof  that 
could  be  demanded.  In  this  way,  we  can  prove  the 
existence  and  indestructibility  of  all  the  material 
elements,  and  by  the  same  process  of  logical  de- 
duction, we  prove  the  fact  of  the  surrounding  ma- 
terial existence.  It  necessarily  follows,  that  there 
is  no  waste  in  nature,  although  there  is  constant 
change,  involving  endless  varieties  of  conditions 
and  modifications. 


Immortality  of  tlie  Soul.  23 

As  we  have  already  shown,  all  laws  of  the  uni- 
verse, whether  material  or  spiritual,  must  work 
together  in  harmony,  and  support  each  other.  All 
phenomena,  therefore,  whether  material  or  spiritual, 
must  lie  within  the  same  general  line  of  proof  Let 
us  take  for  our  great  subject, — Man,  who  comprises 
in  himself,  both  material  and  spiritual  being.  Man, 
therefore,  is  the  link  or  bridge  of  connection  be- 
tween the  proof  of  matter  and  proof  of  soul,  since 
he  is  the  embodiment  of  both.  We  can  prove  the 
existence  of  his  material  body,  and  the  indestructi- 
bility of  the  elements  which  compose  it,  exactly  as 
we  proved  the  existence  and  indestructibility  of 
iron,  but,  if  we  examine  him  more  closely,  we  find 
evidence  of  the  existence  of  nine  great  powers  or 
faculties,  which  do  not  belong  to,  nor  proceed  from 
any  of  these  material  elements  or  from  their  com- 
positions. These  faculties  have  no  relationship 
whatever  with  matter.  They  are  nine,  viz: — Per- 
ception, Memory,  Abstraction,  Imagination,  Reason, 
Judgment,  Mental  Taste,  Will  and  Consciousness. 
Has  iron,  memory,  reason,  will,  or  any  of  these 
high  qualities  ?  Do  any  of  the  material  elements 
or  their  compositions  possess  these  thinking  attri- 
butes ?  Unquestionably  No !  Nor  can  they  or  their 
compounds,  ever  possess  them. 

It  is  known,  that  the  body  of  man  is  a  com- 
position of  about  thirty-three  of  the  material  ele- 
ments. This  is  proved  by  the  fact  that  when  the 
body  is  cremated,  the  residue  of  ashes,  gases,  etc., 
is  the  exact  equivalent  of  what  once  composed  it. 
When  death  comes,  we  find  this  inanimate  material 


24  Immortality  of  the  Soul. 

body  without  a  trace  of  intellectuality,  although  it 
is  still  a  composition  of  the  same  thirty-three  ele- 
ments, just  as  it  was  before  death.  Can  we  find 
any  of  these  nine  great  attributes  in  that  lifeless 
body  ?  There  is  no  longer  perception  in  it ;  neither 
memory,  reason,  will,  etc. ,  etc.  Why  ?  Because 
these  intellectual  qualities  do  not  belong  to  matter, 
the  dull  essence,  but  belong  to  that  intelligent 
essence  which  we  call  soul.  If,  as  the  materialists 
claim,  these  intelligent  qualities  were  the  result  of 
the  combination  of  material  elements,  it  would 
follow,  that  all  of  them  qualified  material  elements, 
and  were  inseparable  from  them,  and  that  every 
combination  of  these  material  elements,  should 
produce  the  same  results.  On  the  contrary,  we 
find,  that  intellectuality  is  not  the  result  of  the 
combination  of  material  elements,  because  the  com- 
position of  the  body  is  precisely  the  same  before 
and  after  death ;  that  is  to  say,  the  body,  after 
death,  is  simply  minus  the  nine  intellectual 
faculties  or  powers,  which  were  in  evidence  before 
the  moment  of  death.  To  what  did  these  nine 
powers  belong  ?  What  was  it  that  controlled  and 
exercised  them?  It  was  that  intelligent  essence 
we  call  Soul.  We  found,  that  back  of  every 
material  attribute  or  quality,  must  be  material 
essence.  Similarly,  back  of  every  intellectual 
faculty  or  power,  must  be  an  intelligent  or  spiritual 
essence.  Something  cannot  come  from  nothing. 
Back  of  intelligence,  is  something  that  is  intelli- 
gent ;  back  of  memory,  something  that  remembers  ; 
back  of  perception,   something   that   sees,  hears, 


Immortality  of  the  Soul.  25 

feels,  smells  and  tastes;  back  of  thought — a  thinker. 
It  is  an  essence.  We  do  not  know  what  that 
essence  is.  We  call  it  the  "Soul."  All  terms 
are  arbitrary;  and  we  use  "  Soul,"  as  it  is  the  term 
universally  adopted. 

As  these  intellectual  faculties  or  powers  belong 
to  the  soul,  and  are  inseparable  from  it,  it  follows, 
that  when  the  soul  is  summoned  to  leave  this 
house  of  clay,  this  body,  the  nine  powers  go  with 
it,  leaving  the  body  with  its  inseparable  material 
qualities,  behind.  For  this  reason,  we  cannot  find 
any  of  the  nine  intellectual  faculties  in  the  body, 
after  death,  for  they  belong  to  the  soul  and  cling 
to  it  wherever  it  goes.  The  existence  of  these  nine 
faculties  which  qualify  the  intellectual  essence, 
therefore,  prove,  according  to  science  and  logical 
reasoning,  the  existence  of  the  soul. 

As  these  faculties  are  inseparable  from  their 
essence,  the  soul,  and  cling  to  it  wherever  it  goes, 
proving  its  existence, — and  as  it  is  a  scientific  fact, 
that  essence  is  indestructible,  we  prove  the  immor- 
tality of  the  soul ; "  for  immortality  and  indestructi- 
bility are  one  and  the  same  thing,  except,  that 
we  use  the  term  indestructibility  to  apply  to  matter, 
and  immortality,  to  the  soul. 

Recapitulating  this  proof; — we  possess  nine  in- 
tellectual faculties.  They  cannot  be  the  result  of 
the  combination  of  material  elements,  which  com- 
pose the  body.  Back  of  them  must  be  an  intel- 
ligent essence,  which  possesses  and  exercises  these 
nine  faculties,  and  which  they  qualify.  Something 
cannot  come  from  nothing.  This  proves  the  ex- 
istence of  the  soul. 


26  Immortality  of  tlie  Soul. 

These  faculties  are  inseparable  from  tlie  soul. 
They  follow  it  wherever  it  goes.  Essence  is 
indestructible.  The  soul  essence  exists.  It  is 
immortal. 

In  addition  to  the  proof  already  shown,  that  the 
soul  and  its  nine  faculties  cannot  be  the  result  of 
the  combination  of  the  material  elements  of  the 
body,  as  materialists  claim,  we  may  add,that,  accord- 
ing to  science,  every  substance  or  essence,  possesses 
qualities  which  are  necessary  for  the  existence  of 
that  substance  or  essence.  Soul  faculties  are  not 
necessary  for  the  existence  of  matter,  consequently 
they  are  not  properties  of  the  essence  of  matter. 
We  must,  therefore,  conclude  that  the  essence 
back  of  these  faculties,  is  an  essence  dijQfer- 
ing  entirely  from  the  essence  of  matter.  As 
matter  is  entirely  devoid  of  thinking  qualities, 
and  as  it  is  an  established  scientific  fact,  that  a 
combination  or  modification,  is  always  produced 
by  the  qualities  of  the  substance  combined  or 
modified,  therefore,  intelligent  faculties  cannot  be 
the  result  of  the  composition  of 'material  elements. 
The  combination  of  material  elements  invariably 
produces  material  composition,  which  must  partake 
of  the  qualities  of  those  material  elements. 

Furthermore,  if  mentality  is  the  result  of 
material  combination,  it  necessarily  follows,  that 
the  larger  the  combination  is,  the  stronger  must  be 
the  mentality.  We  are  then  forced  to  the  con- 
clusion, that  the  larger  the  man,  the  wiser  he  is  ; 
and  that  the  elephant,  on  account  of  its  size,  has 
more  mentality  than  man. 


Immortality  of  the  Soul.  27 

Having  proved  the  existence  of  material  essence 
and  of  soul  essence,  it  follows,  that  the  attributes 
and  essence  of  soul,  are  infinitely  higher  than  the 
qualities  and  essence  of  matter.  Soul  attributes 
subordinate  matter.  They  cognize  and  dominate 
matter.  It  is  through  the  attributes  of  the  soul, 
that  we  have  discovered  iron,  and  the  other  ele- 
mentary substances  ;  that  we  have  recognized  their 
diflferent  qualities ;  named  them ;  proved  their 
existence  and  indestructibility ;  analyzed  their 
existing  combinations  and  formed  new  combina- 
tions of  them.  No  one  would  deny,  that  the 
faculty  of  perception  is  superior  to  and  higher  than 
the  quality  of  weight,  or  that  reason  and  memory 
are  greater  than  the  attributes  of  roughness  and 
density,  which  qualify  matter.  The  soul  perceives 
the  rod  of  iron,  remembers  its  form,  imagines  its 
weight,  reasons  as  to  its  density,  and  is  conscious 
of  its  existence.  It  classifies  and  distinguishes 
iron,  by  its  attributes,  from  all  the  other  elements. 
More  than  that,  the  soul  not  only  knows  matter 
exists,  but  knows  that  it  knows  ;  while  matter  is 
entirely  devoid  of  knowledge  about  itself  or  the 
existence  outside  of  it.  This  proves  material 
essence  to  be  inferior  to  soul  essence.  If  the 
soul  is  able  to  prove,  that  matter,  the  inferior 
essence,  exists,  and  is  indestructible,  how  much 
stronger  is  the  proof,  that  the  soul  itself  exists  and 
is  immortal. 

Several  questions  arise  : — How  do  we  know  that 
the  soul  or  intellectual  essence  is  one  simple 
essence  ?     Is  it  not  a  composition  of  difierent  intel- 


28  Immortality  of  tlie  Soul. 

lectual  essences,  just  as  the  body  is  a  composition 
of  various  material  elements  ?  How  do  we  know 
that  the  soul  will  not  be  decomposed  at  death,  and 
each  of  its  ingredient  essences  return  to  its  original 
state,  just  as  the  iron,  carbon,  sodium,  etc.,  in  the 
body,  return  into  the  dust  of  earth  ?  To  answer 
these  points,  we  must  show  that  the  soul  is  a 
simple  essence,  and  that  it  cannot  be  a  composition. 
Scientifically  speaking,  we  must  prove  that  the 
soul  is  homogeneous,  just  as  the  material  essence, 
iron,  is  homogeneous. 

First: — The  soul  is  simple  essence,  and  not 
composed,  because,  every  part  of  a  composition 
performs  its  special  function  toward  a  special  pur- 
pose, independent  of  every  other  part.  Thus,  in  a 
tree,  the  functions  of  the  leaves  are  independent  of 
the  functions  of  the  roots  ;  in  the  human  body,  the 
eye  performs  its  particular  duty  toward  objects  with 
which  the  heart  and  stomach  have  nothing  to  do. 
The  faculties  of  the  soul,  however,  perform  their 
functions  collectively,  toward  every  single  impres- 
sion received.  They  always  work  in  union,  and 
never  work  separately.  The  soul  is  therefore  homo- 
geneous. One  atom  of  the  soul,  so  to  speak,  would 
possess  the  same  attributes  as  the  whole  soul,  just 
as  one  atom  of  pure  iron,  possesses  the  same  qual- 
ities as  all  the  rest  of  the  iron  in  the  world. 
Essence,  whether  material  or  spiritual,  is  homo- 
geneous. Homogeneity  evidences  the  perfection 
of  creative  power.  From  this  inductive  reasoning, 
we  prove  conclusively  that  the  soul  is  a  simple 
essence,  and  not  a  composition. 


Immortality  of  the  Soul.  29 

Second: — We  know  that  man,  the  soul,  is  an 
individual  ;  that  is  to  say,  an  identity  undivided ; 
because,  if  the  nine  intellectual  faculties  belonged 
to  different  essences  which  compose  the  soul,  the 
loss  of  some  of  these  essences  would  not  impair  the 
rest.  We  find,  however,  that  if  it  were  possible  to 
destroy  the  essence  which  controlled  the  faculty  of 
perception,  all  the  remaining  faculties  would  be 
rendered  useless,  for  if  we  could  not  perceive,  the 
other  faculties  would  have  no  capital  with  which 
to  work,  and  the  individuality  of  the  soul  would 
be  destroyed.  If  we  could  destroy  the  essence 
of  memory  or  consciousness,  the  soul  would 
be  crippled  in  its  other  powers,  and  so  on.  That 
is  to  say,  the  loss  or  impairment  of  one  faculty, 
would  mean  the  destruction  of  individuality,  and 
this  is  against  the  scientific  principle  that  nothing 
in  existence  can  be  destroyed.  Therefore,  the  fact 
that  the  individuality  of  the  soul  cannot  be 
destroyed,  proves  it  to  be  a  simple  essence. 

Third: — We  know,  that  as  God  has  created  many 
different  material  essences,  so  also,  he  has  created 
many  different  spiritual  essences,  namely,  living 
souls.  The  soul  of  man  is  not  of  the  same  essence 
as  that  of  a  dog.  They  differ  in  some  attributes, 
and  in  the  degree  of  their  attributes.  The  soul  of  a 
dog  differs  from  the  soul  of  a  horse,  and  so  on 
through  every  class  or  race  of  souls  in  existence. 
Each  of  them  possesses  attributes  of  intelligence, 
which  differentiate  and  distinguish  them  from  all 
the  others,  just  as  the  various  elements  of  matter 
differ  from  each  other.     By  comparison  of  these 


3°  Immortality  of  the  Soul. 

varying  essences  of  soul,  we  prove  the  soul  to  be  a 
simple  and  homogeneous  essence,  not  composed ; 
just  as  simple  essences  of  matter  cannot  be  com- 
positions. 

Fourth: — We  know  that  soul  growth  is  not  like 
the  growth  of  matter,  because  material  growth  is 
accomplished  by  the  addition  of  other  material 
substance,  that  is  to  say,  material  growth  is  in 
size,  while  growth  of  the  soul  is  in  knowledge,  and 
not  in  size. 

The  body  of  a  child  becomes  the  body  of  a  man, 
by  the  addition  to  it,  of  material  food.  It  simply 
grows  in  size,  whereas  the  soul  grows  in  power  of 
comprehension.  Therefore,  as  the  growth  of  the 
soul  is  not  in  size,  but  in  knowledge,  nothing  can 
be  added  to  its  size,  and  if  nothing  can  be  added  to 
its  size,  nothing  can  be  taken  from  it.  For  this 
reason,  the  soul  must  be  a  simple  essence  and 
undivided,  and  after  death  of  the  body,  it  myst 
remain  with  its  inseparable  faculties,  indestruct- 
ible, immortal. 

To  many,  the  existence  of  iron  is  proved,  because 
we  can  see  it,  but  belief  in  the  existence  of  soul,  is 
difficult,  or  impossible,  because  the  soul  cannot  be 
seen.  There  are  two  points  of  consideration  in 
connection  with  this  objection. — 

First: — We  do  not  see  the  air,  nor  the  gases,  yet 
we  know  and  prove  their  existence,  because  we  ex- 
perience the  ejQfects  they  produce. 

Second : — We  can  see  the  soul  more  clearly  than 
we  can  see  the  iron,  if  we  understand  the  real 
meaning  of   "sight."     To  "see"  is  to  perceive, 


Immortality  of  the  Soul.  31 

that  is,  to  receive  impressions  through  the  organs 
of  sight,  by  the  soul's  faculty  of  perception.  When 
impressions  reach  this  faculty,  we  have  the  concep- 
tion of  objects  outside  of  us.  The  soul  ' '  sees  "  by 
the  power  of  this  faculty,  for  the  material  eye  has 
no  power  to  '*see"  by  itself  At  the  same  time, 
the  action  of  any  of  our  soul  faculties,  is  perceived 
or  seen  by  the  soul,  in  a  stronger  and  more  certain 
way,  than  it  can  see  outside  objects  through  the 
material  eye.  For  instance,  memory  is  perceived  or 
seen  by  the  soul,  more  surely  than  a  material  form 
the  image  of  which  we  receive  through  the  eye, 
for  that  material  form  is  outside  of  us,  and  we  can 
perceive  only  its  qualities.  We  cannot  perceive  its 
essence.  In  like  manner,  we  can  perceive  more 
surely  the  soul  faculties,  because  they  are  inherent 
with  us,  and  inseparable  from  us,  while  the  impres- 
sions of  outside  objects  are  only  transitory.  In  this 
way,  we  "  see  "  our  souls,  with  more  proof  and  cer- 
tainty, than  we  see  outside  objects.  The  soul  is 
the  individual,  the  man.  We  do  not  have  souls. 
We  are  souls. 

"  Has  the  soul  form?"  It  must  have  form.  Al- 
though invisible,  it  is  an  essence.  Every  essence 
must  occupy  space,  and  everything  occupying  space, 
must  have  form  and  body.  The  essence  of  matter 
composes  the  body  of  matter,  and  there  is  no  mate- 
rial body  without  form  ;  so  also,  the  spiritual  essence 
composes  the  spiritual  body,  and  it  necessarily  must 
have  form.  The  soul  form  is  unchangeable,  and 
the  highest  in  the  universe,  for  God  created  man 
after  His  own  image.  This  will  be  shown  in  sub- 
sequent chapters. 


32  Immortality  of  the  Soul. 

DESCRIPTION   AND   ANALYSIS   OF  THE 
NINE   FACULTIES. 

Although  our  subject  is  not  psychology,  it  will 
not  be  out  of  place,  to  describe  and  show,  in  abbre- 
viation, the  action  and  duty  of  each  faculty  of  the 
soul.  These  faculties,  as  already  stated,  are  nine 
in  number.  They  border  and  impinge  closely  upon 
each  other,  working  and  interworking  in  perfect 
harmony  ;  each  one  possessing  distinctly  separate 
functions.  There  are  branches  and  subdivisions 
of  these  faculties,  mentioned  in  books  on  mental 
philosophy,  yet,  as  these  nine  are  the  principal  and 
most  important,  it  will  be  advisable  to  describe 
them,  and  leave  the  others,  excepting  the  power  of 
life,  which  will  be  considered  later. 

Perception  :  The  soul,  during  our  brief  stay  upon 
this  earth,  is  confined  to  the  body ;  imprisoned  in 
this  mold  of  clay,  for  a  great  purpose.  The  Crea- 
tor has  provided  five  ways  or  means,  by  which  the 
soul-prisoner  may  communicate  with  the  existence 
outside  of  itself.  These  communications  or  im- 
pressions, travel  from  outside  to  inside,  and  from 
inside  \o  outside,  through  the  five  senses  of  sight, 
hearing,  smell,  touch  and  taste.  Every  communi- 
cation we  receive  through  the  senses,  must  first 
reach  the  faculty  of  perception,  because  this  is  the 
faculty  through  which  we  receive  impressions,  and 
become  cognizant  of  the  surrounding  existence. 
For  instance,  a  friend  is  sitting  beside  you.  The 
rays  of  light  which  fall  upon  his  body,  are  reflected 
to  your  eye.     These  rays  penetrate  the  transparent 


Immortality  of  the  Soul.  33 

coatings  of  the  eye,  pass  through  the  crystalline 
lens,  and  imprint  a  picture  or  image  of  your  friend, 
upon  the  retina  or  coating  over  which  the  optic 
nerve  is  spread.  The  impression  of  this  picture,  is 
then  taken  by  the  power  of  life,  which  is  a  power 
of  the  soul,  running  to  and  fro  through  the  whole 
nervous  system,  carrying  all  communications  from 
the  outside  to  the  inside,  and  from  the  inside  to  the 
outside.  The  power  of  life  delivers  this  impression 
to  the  soul,  through  the  faculty  of  perception.  The 
Boul  then  perceives  that  there  is  in  existence, 
outside  itself,  a  human  being,  with  certain  charac- 
teristics of  size,  figure  and  complexion.  Perception, 
therefore,  is  that  faculty  of  the  soul,  by  which  the 
soul  receives  knowledge  of  the  surrounding  exist- 
ence. This  knowledge  may  be  received  through 
the  senses  of  hearing,  taste,  touch  and  smell,  as 
well  as  through  sight. 

Memory  :  The  impression  in  the  foregoing  illus- 
tration, would  not  only  be  delivered  to  the  faculty 
of  perception,  but  would  also  be  carried  by  the 
power  of  life,  to  the  faculty  of  memory,  where  it  is 
registered  and  preserved.  Upon  this  sensitive  tab- 
let of  record,  it  remains  recorded,  until,  in  time  of 
need,  after  a  short  or  long  period,  the  same  im- 
pression is  called  up,  and  carried  by  the  power  of 
life  to  the  other  intellectual  faculties.  In  this  way, 
we  re-collect  past  events ;  re-call  past  impressions. 
Memory  is  the  storehouse,  not  only  of  impressions 
from  the  outside  to  the  inside,  and  inside  to  the 
outside,  but  also  from  inside  to  inside,  for,  upon  its 
tablet,  all  the  interworkings  of  the  nine  faculties 


34  Immortality  of  the  Soul. 

axe  recorded.  The  medium  of  all  action  and  inter- 
action of  the  nine  faculties,  is  the  power  of  life. 
Memory  furnishes  the  capital  of  the  soul. 

Abstraction  is  the  soul  faculty  which  classifies 
every  impression  carried  to  it,  puts  it  into  its  class 
or  chain,  and  joins  it  with  its  race  or  kind.  When 
sure  of  the  character  of  the  impression,  the  faculty 
of  abstraction  classifies  it  at  once,  but  if  not  quite 
sure,  it  will  relegate  the  impression  temporarily  to 
the  nearest  chain,  pending  further  investigation 
and  assurance.  Thus,  we  look  upon  a  man,  and 
the  impression  of  his  appearance  reaches  the  fac- 
ulty of  abstraction.  Although  we  have  never  seen 
him  before,  this  faculty  will  at  once  identify  the 
man  with  other  impressions  of  men,  and  without 
hesitation,  the  soul  knows  that  he  is  a  man  and  not 
a  tree.  When  we  see  a  tree,  we  know  it  is  not  a 
mountain ;  when  we  see  a  mountain,  we  know 
instantly  it  is  not  a  horse,  etc.  Why?  Because 
the  faculty  of  abstraction  has  classified  the  im- 
pression received,  and  put  it  into  its  particular 
chain  or  kind,  without  further  investigation. 
Sometimes,  however,  not  being  sure  of  the  subdi- 
vision of  an  impression,  the  faculty  of  abstraction 
will  put  it  temporarily  into  the  nearest  chain,  until 
sufficient  evidence  is  acquired  to  classify  it  in  its 
proper  subdivision.  For  instance,  the  impression 
of  the  man  was  at  once  classified  as  man,  but  we 
were  not  able  to  abstract  it  into  a  subdivision,  as 
poet,  artist,  musician,  etc. 

The  faculty  of  abstraction  has  a  great  deal  to  do 
with  intuition  or  fine  perception,  especially  when 


Immortality  of  the  Soul.  35 

it  is  highly  developed.  Suppose  three  persons 
pass  a  thief  in  the  street,  each  one  noting  his  furtive 
glances,  and  suspicious  actions.  One  of  the  three, 
owing  to  the  weakness  of  his  faculty  of  abstraction, 
will  have  very  little  idea  of  the  thief's  character ; 
the  second  will  have  a  strong  suspicion  that  he  is  a 
thief;  while  the  third,  on  account  of  the  very 
strong  development  of  this  faculty,  will  know  at 
once,  and  believe  positively,  that  the  man  is  a 
thief.     This  is  intuition  or  fine  perception. 

Imagination  : — This  is  the  faculty  which  takes 
the  capital  of  knowledge  already  gained,  whether 
external  or  internal,  and  constructs  or  originates 
from  it,  new  conditions,  combinations  or  forms. 
Upon  this  faculty,  we  mostly  depend  for  improve- 
ments, inventions,  and  discoveries  in  science  and 
art.  If  the  product  of  imagination  is  in  harmony 
and  accordance  with  reason  and  natural  laws,  it 
generally  proves  to  be  practical  and  useful,  but  if 
not,  it  is,  as  a  rule,  the  exact  reverse.  For 
instance,  a  mechanical  invention,  to  be  practical, 
must  be  a  combination  of  different  parts  which 
work  in  harmony  with  each  other  and  with  natural 
laws.  lyikewise,  a  spiritual  theory  or  hypothesis 
constructed  by  the  imagination,  must  accord  with 
the  laws  which  govern  spiritual  phenomena,  in 
order  that  it  may  be  true.  Natural  law  is  the 
highway  by  which  we  travel  toward  the  truth  of 
material  and  spiritual  phenomena.  Violation  of 
natural  law,  invariably  results  in  error  and  mis- 
take. We  find,  therefore,  that  the  outcome  of 
imagination     is     frequently     grotesque,    fanciful, 


36  Immortality  of  the  Soul. 

extravagant  and  impossible,  when  it  is  exercised 
incorrectly,  in  connection  with  the  various  phenom- 
ena of  existence.  Suppose  we  imagine  an  animal 
with  the  head  of  a  man,  neck  of  a  camel,  body  of 
a  horse,  and  tail  of  a  bird.  This  animal  does  not, 
and  could  not  exist,  although  its  different  parts  are 
practical,  and  in  existence.  If  there  were  no  man 
in  existence,  we  could  not,  in  imagination,  con- 
struct the  head ;  if  no  camel,  we  could  not  imagine 
the  neck,  etc.  This  shows  us  plainly,  that  the 
faculty  of  imagination  is  imitative,  not  creative. 
It  has  power,  either  to  combine  existing  things 
into  useful,  practical  productions  such  as  the 
machine,  or  to  produce  something  of  no  practical 
value  and  possibility  whatever,  such  as  the  animal 
mentioned. 

Imagination  is  frequently  the  forerunner  of  fact, 
and  the  door  to  certainty  of  knowledge.  From 
the  ground  and  standpoint  of  demonstrable  truth, 
this  faculty  may  project  itself  forward  into  the 
realm  of  the  hidden  and  unknown,  invent  theories 
or  possibilities,  which  the  soul,  by  observation  and 
experiment,  may  afterward  prove  to  be  the  truth. 
In  this  way,  the  faculty  of  imagination,  particu- 
larly when  associated  with  intuition,  fine  percep- 
tion, or  rather  strong  power  of  abstraction,  may 
precede  discovery,  and  anticipate  knowledge  of  the 
very  highest  order. 

Reason: — This  faculty  takes  every  impression, 
thought,  or  idea,  makes  thorough  examination  of 
it,  weighs  it  pro  and  con,  compares  it  with  mental 
and  physical  realities  and  premises,  as  well  as  with 


Immortality  of  the  Soul.  37 

mental  and  spiritual  laws,  in  order  to  determine  its 
basis  and  ground,  and  decide  upon  its  harmony  with 
fact.  Reason  is  the  logical  faculty,  by  which  we 
distinguish  truth  from  falsehood,  right  from  wrong, 
fact  from  fiction,  etc. 

Judgment  is  the  fiat  of  reason.  It  takes  full  con- 
sideration of  the  conclusion  of  the  reasoning  power, 
comprehends  its  logical  standpoints  and  arguments, 
then  issues  final  decision  concerning  the  question. 
This  faculty  is  the  governor,  or  commander-in-chief 
of  our  faculties;  the  arbiter,  who  issues  final  sen- 
tence upon  every  question  submitted. 

Mental  Taste  is  the  faculty  which  examines  every 
external  or  internal  impression,  and  discovers  its 
beauty,  attractiveness,  grandeur,  perfection,  or  the 
reverse.  This  faculty  is  the  basis  of  appreciation, 
inclination,  emotion,  enjoyment,  pleasure  and  de- 
sire, or  that  which  is  contrary  to  them.  We  there- 
fore find,  that  those  who  possess  highly  developed 
mental  taste,  are  naturally  inclined  to  be  governed 
by  their  desires  and  sense  of  pleasure.  It  is  the 
foundation  of  love  of  art,  and  appreciation  of  the 
beauties  of  nature.  It  underlies  the  sense  of  humor. 
Artists,  musicians,  poets,  possess  it  in  a  high  de- 
gree. Mental  taste  is  the  basis  of  culture,  which 
may  be  defined  as  the  capacity  to  understand,  and 
willingness  to  accept  that  which  is  true  and  beau- 
tiful. 

Will  is  that  faculty  which  intentionally  causes 
and  controls  the  performance  of  all  our  voluntary 
actions,  mental  and  physical.  It  is  that  great  gift 
of  independence,  with  which  God  has  endowed  the 


38  Immortality  of  tlie  Soul. 

soul  of  man,  in  order  that  he  may  be  able  to  choose 
and  do  whatever  he  likes,  and  be  responsible  for 
his  actions.  In  truth,  it  is  the  God-power  of  the 
faculties,  since  none  but  God  and  man  possess  it. 
It  has  been  bestowed  upon  man,  to  enable  him  to 
become  a  high  creature.  By  its  use,  man  is  fitted 
to  grow  and  develop  from  a  low  limitation,  to  a 
higher  and  wider  one.  Without  it,  we  would  not 
be  capable  of  development  or  progress.  If  we  act 
according  to  the  emotions  and  desires  of  mental 
taste,  using  our  will  for  the  gratification  of  them 
contrary  to  the  rulings  of  reason  and  judgment  re- 
specting these  actions,  we  usually  commit  mistakes, 
and  do  that  which  is  wrong;  but  when  we  har- 
monize mental  taste,  reason,  and  judgment,  in  our 
action  of  will,  we  incline  to  the  strongest  possi- 
bility of  doing  right. 

Consciousness  is  the  monitor  of  the  soul.  It 
reports  to  the  soul,  every  action  of  the  other 
faculties.  By  this  faculty,  we  recognize  our  own 
existence  and  the  existence  of  the  world  out- 
side of  us.  By  it,  the  soul  not  only  knows, 
but  knows  that  it  knows.  Thus,  when  we 
perceive  an  outside  object,  consciousness  reports 
at  once  to  the  soul,  that  we  are  perceiving, 
and  we  are  cognizant  of  our  own  existence,  as 
well  as  the  fact  that  the  outside  object  exists. 
When  we  perceive,  remember,  classify,  imagine, 
reason,  judge,  select,  or  will,  the  faculty  of 
consciousness  reports  these  actions  to  the  soul. 
Thus  the  soul  is  made  aware  of  all  impressions 
from  inside   to    outside,    outside    to    inside,   and 


Immortality  of  the  Soul.  39 

inside  to  inside,  and  informed  of  what  is  going  on 
throughout  the  circle  of  its  limitations. 

This  is  but  a  brief  analysis  of  the  functions  of 
the  nine  faculties,  the  existence  of  which,  prove 
the  existence  and  immortality  of  the  soul.  They 
interweave  and  interwork  in  the  most  exquisite 
harmony  of  action  ;  depend  upon  and  support  each 
other  in  perfect  logical  sequence,  from  the  founda- 
tion basis  of  perception,  to  the  apex  of  conscious- 
ness. Having  perceived,  we  can  remember ; 
memory  furnishes  its  capital  for  abstraction; 
imagination  is  then  possible  ;  having  these  powers 
in  action,  we  can  reason  ;  judgment  is  the  outcome 
of  reason ;  mental  taste  exercises  its  function  after 
judgment ;  will  enables  us  to  seek  and  do  what  we 
wish ;  while  consciousness,  the  crown  and  glory  of 
our  nine  soul  powers,  is  cognizant  throughout. 

With  the  certainty  of  a  life  hereafter,  we  should 
strive  to  understand  our  relationship  to  God  our 
Creator,  and  our  duty  toward  Him  ;  endeavor  to 
accomplish  the  purpose  of  our  temporary  sojourn 
here,  in  order  that  we  may  be  ready,  at  any 
moment,  to  go  to  the  other  side,  with  happiness  and 
confidence.  ♦ 


CHAPTER  II. 

MIND. 

Mind  is  a  collective  name  given  to  the  nine  fac- 
ulties of  the  soul,  when  they  are  united  in  action, 
for  a  specific  purpose.  We  are  souls.  The  soul  is 
the  individual,  the  man ;  a  prisoner  in  the  body. 
Through  the  five  windows  of  the  senses,  impres- 
sions come  and  go;  through  them,  the  nine  faculties 
work,  and  the  soul  gathers  knowledge  of  the  sur- 
rounding existence.  The  soul  knows.  Knowledge 
is  the  ken  of  the  soul.  Mind  is  the  term  given  to 
the  soul  powers  when  united  in  action. 

In  all  psychological  investigation,  we  are  con- 
fronted by  the  necessity  of  defining  fundamental 
terms.  All  terms  are  arbitrary,  but  without  them 
there  can  be  no  expression  of  thought.  Conflicting 
opinions  among  psychologists,  arise  chiefly  from 
the  misunderstanding  and  nonconformity  of  terms. 

The  definition  of  mind  has  always  been,  and  still 
is,  a  bone  of  philosophical  contention.  Volumes 
have  been  written  upon  it,  and  definitions  have 
been  as  many  and  various  as  the  philosophers 
themselves.  Each  one  has  defined  mind,  accord- 
ing to  his  own  standpoint  of  ideas,  and  the  result 
is,  that  scarcely  two  agree.  Some  teach  that  mind 
is  the  spirit  of  man ;  others  that  it  is  the  soul,  or 
some  of  the  faculties  of  the  soul ;  we  are  told  that 
mind  is  reason  ;  that  it  is  consciousness  ;  according 

41 


42  Mind. 

to  some,  it  is  the  cause  of  ideas,  thoughts  and  feel- 
ings ;  according  to  others,  it  is  the  result  of  them. 

We  quote  some  of  the  best  authorities  upon  this 
subject:  Spencer  says  :  Vol.  i,  p.  145  :  "  For  if,  by 
the  phrase  '  substance  of  mind,'  is  to  be  understood, 
mind  as  qualitatively  differentiated  in  each  portion 
that  is  separable  by  introspection,  but  seems  homo- 
geneous and  undecomposable,  then  we  do  know 
something  about  the  substance  of  mind,  and  may 
eventually,  know  more.  Assuming  an  underlying 
something,  it  is  possible  in  some  cases,  to  see,  and 
in  the  rest,  to  conceive,  how  these  multitudinous 
modifications  of  it,  arise.  But  if  the  phrase  is 
taken  to  mean  the  underlying  something,  of  which 
these  distinguishable  portions  are  formed,  or  of 
which  they  are  modifications,  then  we  know  noth- 
ing about  it,  and  never  can  know  anything  about 
it.  It  is  not  enough  to  say  that  such  knowledge 
is  beyond  the  grasp  of  human  intelligence,  as  it 
now  exists,  for  no  amount  of  that  which  we  call 
intelligence,  however  transcendent,  can  grasp  such 
knowledge." 

And  again,  p.  159: — "Mind,  as  known  to  the 
possessor  of  it,  is  a  circumscribed  aggregate  of  ac- 
tivities, and  the  cohesion  of  these  activities,  one 
with  another,  throughout  the  aggregate,  compels 
the  postulation  of  a  something,  of  which  they  are 
the  activities.  But  the  same  experience  which 
makes  him  aware  of  this  coherent  aggregate  of 
mental  activities,  simultaneously  makes  him  aware 
of  activities  that  are  not  included  in  it ;  outlying 
activities,  which  become  known  by  their  effects  on 


Mind.  43 

this  aggregate,  but  which  are  experimentally  proved 
to  be  not  coherent  with  it,  and  to  be  coherent  with 
one  another." 

Hume  says: — "Impressions  and  ideas  are  the 
only  things  known  to  exist,"  and  that  "mind  is 
merely  a  name  for  the  sum  of  them." 

Porter  (Elements  of  Intellectual  Science,  p.  535) 
says: — "We  say,  then,  without  reserve,  that  the 
mind  in  sense,  perception,  knows  matter  or  mate- 
rial beings  as  truly  and  directly,  as  in  consciousness, 
it  knows  the  '  ego '  or  mental  being." 

Naturally,  on  account  of  this  uncertainty,  this 
lack  of  agreement  and  wide  range  of  diflference  be- 
tween psychologists,  concerning  the  function  and 
definition  of  mind;  and  especially,  since  every 
opinion  advanced,  finds  many  followers,  we  meet 
at  the  end  of  the  Nineteenth  Century,  a  great  num- 
ber and  variety  of  teachings,  doctrines,  isms  and 
philosophies,  widely  divergent  and  mutually  con- 
tradictorj'.  Vague  impractical  ideas,  mystical  and 
impossible  theories  beset  us.  Sophistry  wages  war 
against  science,  logic  and  common  sense.  If  we 
plod  through  this  maze  of  theorizing  and  so-called 
philosophical  teaching,  we  will  find  some  who  di- 
vide mind  into  different  parts,  giving  them  various 
definitions  peculiar  to  their  theories.  For  instance, 
they  sometimes  speak  of  the  mortal  mind  as  dis- 
tinct from  the  immortal ;  the  subjective  mind  is 
considered  as  different  from  the  objective  ;  the  finite 
mind  is  a  term  employed  by  some  to  express  human 
intelligence  as  separated  from  the  great,  the  infinite, 
the  universal  mind.  Some  say  that  God  is  Mind ; 
that  the  Universe  is  Mind,  and  so  on. 


44  Mind. 

Truth  is  never  complex.  There  can  be  but  one 
truth,  which  never  varies,  though  the  terms  we  use 
to  express  it,  may  conflict.  A  drop  of  pure  water 
possesses  fixed,  invariable  qualities,  no  matter  by 
what  name  we  call  it.  Truth  is  as  crystalline 
pure,  transparent  and  unchangeable  as  the  drop  of 
water,  but,  unfortunately,  the  limpid  purity  of 
truth  is  often  lost  in  a  vast  ocean  of  superstitions 
and  imaginations,  beyond  the  possibility  of  discov- 
ery by  those  who  seek  it. 

According  to  the  dictionary,  the  meaning  of  the 
verb  "  to  mind  "  is  "  to  fasten  one's  thoughts  upon," 
"to  occupy  one's  self  with,"  "pay  attention  to," 
"regard  with  care,  concern  or  as  objectionable," 
"to  care  for,"  "obey,"  "have  charge  of,"  **see 
after,"  "watch,"  "to  be  on  guard  against,"  "be 
wary  concerning,"  " be  obedient  to,"  "to  have  an 
inclination."  As  a  noun,  mind  is  defined  as  "  that 
which  thinks,  feels,  and  wills,"  or  "the  entire 
physical  being  of  man."  From  this  wide  range  of 
definition,  we  gather,  that  mind  is  a  term  used  for, 
or  in  place  of  the  nine  thinking  faculties.  There- 
fore, as  the  function  of  these  faculties  is  to  take 
each  external  or  internal  impression,  think  it  over, 
examine  it  thoroughly,  come  to  a  decision  about  it, 
and  then  accept  or  reject  it,  it  follows,  that  mind  is 
our  protector  against  mental  or  physical  action, 
thought  or  thing;  that  mind  rejects  what  is  harm- 
ful to  us  and  admits  that  which  is  beneficial.  In 
other  words,  mind  is  our  protector  against  the 
harmful,  and  the  receiver  of  good.  This  is  the 
consensus  of  philosophical  definitions  of  mind.   To 


Mind.  45 

illustrate  it,  suppose  we  are  asked  to  undertake  a 
business  enterprise.  We  "  mind  "  the  proposition, 
that  is,  we  think  it  over  pro  and  con,  and  reach  a 
conclusion  as  to  its  desirability  and  good  prospect, 
or  the  reverse. 

The  Arabic  word  for  "mind, "  is  "  ackle,"  which 
also  means  *'a  fort  set  upon  a  hill."  The  term  thus 
mutually  employed,  is  especially  significant  when 
we  consider  the  similarity  which  exists  between 
"mind"  and  "fort"  The  "mind"  is  indeed  a 
fort  set  upon  a  hill,  the  head  ;  the  position  from 
whence  it  is  best  fitted  to  command  the  defense  of 
the  body.  A  fort  is  built  upon  a  hill.  Its  function 
is  protection  against  attack  and  invasion  by  an 
enemy;  at  the  same  time,  to  receive  that  which  is 
friendly  and  assisting.  It  resists  the  harmful; 
admits  and  shelters  the  good.  The  function  of 
mind  is  precisely  similar.  It  defends  us  against 
harm  and  attack  ;  it  admits  that  which  is  beneficial 
and  good  to  us.  Material  things,  the  world  in 
general  outside  of  us,  is  at  war  against  the  soul, 
and  the  mind  is  busy  in  the  soul's  defense.  Dan- 
gers threaten  injury  and  destruction  to  the  soul's 
habitation,  disease  assails  us,  harmful  conditions 
beset  us,  and  without  the  vigilance  of  the  mind  to 
ofiset  and  resist  their  ceaseless  attack,  the  body 
would  be  destroyed,  and  the  soul  compelled  to 
move  out. 

Fort  is  a  collective  name  for  a  combination  of 
defensive  equipment  consisting  of  building,  guns, 
small  arms,  ammunition,  soldiers,  ofiBcers  and  com- 
mander-in-chief.    These  collectively,  form  the  fort 


46  Mind. 

No  one  of  them  is  the  fort.  Separately,  they 
neither  protect  nor  fortify.  The  guns  cannot  be 
considered  the  fort ;  the  soldiers  are  not  the  fort; 
the  officers  and  commander-in-chief  do  not  com- 
prise the  fort.  The  building  itself  is  not  the 
fort.  Unless  it  is  occupied  by  the  various  defensive 
groups  and  equipment,  it  is  without  the  power  of 
defense.  Therefore  a  fort  is  a  combination  of 
groups,  parties  or  things,  united  for  the  purpose  of 
protection  against  harm,  and  for  the  receiving  of 
good. 

Similarly,  no  one  faculty  is  the  mind.  Percep- 
tion alone  is  not  the  mind  ;  neither  is  memory  nor 
imagination,  but  when  all  the  faculties  are  com- 
bined to  work  in  union  (and  they  always  work  in 
union,  never  separately),  we  give  them  the  col- 
lective name,  mind,  just  as  army,  house,  farm, 
menagerie,  city,  etc. ,  are  collective  nouns  or  names. 

Therefore  the  nine  faculties  of  the  soul  are 
behind  the  performance  of  every  action,  mental  or 
physical.  You  placed  your  hand  unintentionally 
upon  a  hot  radiator.  In  an  instant  you  drew  it  away. 
Why?  Because  the  impression  of  heat  was  car- 
ried by  the  power  of  life  through  the  nerves  of 
sense,  to  the  thinking  faculties,  causing  each  one 
of  them  to  perform  its  duty  toward  the  action  of 
the  hand.  In  an  instant,  the  decision  of  judgment 
was  reached,  that  the  hand  was  in  a  dangerous 
position,  and  suffering  injury.  Through  the  agency 
of  the  power  of  life,  a  command  flashed  back  along 
another  set  of  nerves  which  control  the  motions  of 
the  hand,  ordering  the  hand  drawn  away  as  quickly 


Mind.  47 

as  possible,  from  its  position  of  danger.  If  you  are 
asked  why  you  drew  your  hand  away  so  quickly, 
you  will  say  that  you  made  up  your  mind  to  do  so. 
In  reality,  the  faculties  of  the  soul  performed  it,  by 
operating  together  to  protect  the  hand  from  injury; 
but  instead  of  naming  these  faculties  in  detail,  you 
use  the  collective  term,  mind.  The  same  is  true  of 
all  our  actions,  whether  mental  or  physical.  The 
faculties  are  behind  them  and  action  is  the  result 
of  these  faculties. 

In  addition  to  this  proof  that  the  soul  faculties 
are  behind  every  action  we  perform,  it  can  be  shown 
that  they  always  work  in  union,  and  never  sepa- 
rately, no  matter  what  the  mental  action  may  be. 
Suppose  you  are  walking  upon  the  street,  behind  a 
friend.  You  notice,  as  he  comes  to  a  cross  street, 
that  an  electric  car  is  bearing  down  rapidly  upon 
him.  He  starts  to  cross  in  front  of  it,  hesitates  a 
moment  as  if  in  doubt,  then  steps  backward,  allow- 
ing the  car  to  pass  in  front  of  him.  What  has  hap- 
pened to  cause  this  action  ?  If  you  ask  him  why 
he  did  not  cross  the  street,  he  will  say  he  made  up 
his  mind  the  car  would  strike  and  injure  him  if  he 
attempted  to  cross.  That  is,  he  "  minded  "  not  to 
cross.  Let  us  examine  his  mental  action.  What 
really  happened  was  this: — First,  he  saw  the  car, 
through  his  faculty  of  perception  ;  then  his  memory 
recalled  cases  of  accident  and  injury ;  abstraction 
classified  it  as  a  swift-moving  electric  car ;  in  im- 
agination, he  saw  himself  struck,  hurled  to  the 
ground,  perhaps  killed;  reason  debated  whether 
or  not  he  had  time  to  cross  in  front  of  the  car; 


48  Mind. 

judgment  said  ' '  No ; ' '  mental  taste  furnished  him 
the  desire  to  protect  himself  from  injury;  will  com- 
manded the  voluntary  muscles  of  his  limbs  to  move 
his  body  out  of  danger ;  and  throughout  the  whole 
occurrence,  he  was  conscious  of  his  own  action,  as 
well  as  the  action  outside  of  himself  Thus  we 
see,  that  in  reality,  all  nine  of  his  soul  faculties 
acted  in  unison  ;  exercised  themselves  collectively 
in  the  performance  of  what  seemed  to  be  a  simple 
action.  So,  if  we  analyze  each  mental  or  physical 
action  of  our  existence,  we  will  find  the  same  evi- 
dence that  the  nine  powers  of  the  soul  are  behind 
that  action,  and  that  they  always  operate  collec- 
tively. They  never  work  alone  or  separately.  The 
failure  or  refusal  of  one  faculty  to  act,  cripples  the 
action  of  all  the  rest.  Had  memory  failed  to  sup- 
ply your  friend  with  the  knowledge  that  the  ap- 
proaching object  was  a  danger,  abstraction,  reason, 
judgment,  and  all  the  other  faculties,  would  have 
been  unable  to  perform  their  various  mental  duties, 
and,  most  probably,  he  would  have  been  killed  or 
injured.  In  a  similar  way,  the  various  functions 
of  a  fort,  work  collectively  during  an  attack  or 
siege.  If  the  ammunition  fails,  there  can  be  no 
defense ;  if  the  soldiers  refuse  to  act,  the  guns  and 
weapons  are  without  power  to  destroy  or  repel. 
The  functions  of  the  fort  must  necessarily  be  col- 
lectively employed.  No  one  of  them  can  act  alone ; 
no  one  of  them  can  fail  to  act  without  crippling 
the  collective  whole. 

As   these   faculties   or   powers   are   inseparable 
from  the  soul,  and  as  soul  essence  is  immortal,  it 


Mind.  49 

follows,  that  mind  must  be  immortal,  for  these 
nine  powers  follow  the  soul,  and  cling  to  it  wher- 
ever it  goes.  We  must  conclude  also,  that  the 
mind  cannot  be  divided  as  subjective  and  objective, 
although  its  action  is  sometimes  subjective,  and 
sometimes  objective. 

As  each  human  being  is  an  individual,  a  soul, 
entirely  separated  from  other  individuals,  other 
souls;  and  as  each  soul  has  its  own  faculties  or 
powers,  distinct  from  those  of  other  souls,  there- 
fore each  individual  mind  is  separated  entirely 
from  the  mind  of  all  others,  and  it  is  an  error  to 
claim  that  mind  is  universal,  for  each  mind  must, 
by  necessity,  be  separate,  distinct,  and  individual. 
No  one  can  think  for  another ;  each  must  think  for 
himself. 

It  is  likewise  incorrect  to  claim,  as  some  do,  that 
mind  is  the  aggregate  of  thoughts,  ideas  and  feel- 
ings, for,  in  reality,  the  mind  itself  is  the  performer 
of  these  results  or  actions.  They  are  mental  prod- 
ucts, of  which  mind  is  the  cause.  That  which  is 
caused,  cannot  be  the  causer.  The  building  is  not 
the  builder,  the  invention  not  the  inventor;  the 
sensation  of  joy  cannot  be  that  which  rejoices. 

We  have  shown  that  mind,  like  a  fort,  is  con- 
tinually occupied  in  warring  with  the  surround- 
ing existence;  protecting  us  from  the  assault  of 
injurious  physical  or  mental  forces ;  defending  us 
against  moral,  mental  and  physical  harm,  and,  at 
the  same  time,  receiving  and  retaining  whatever 
we  deem  useful  or  beneficial.  All  the  nine  facul- 
ties are  thus  actively  employed,  except  during  the 


5©  Mind. 

period  of  sleep,  and  even  then,  they  sometimes 
work,  as  in  dreams  and  visions. 

In  addition  to  this  general  similarity  between 
mind  and  fort,  there  is  a  strong  and  individual 
parallelism  between  the  duties  of  the  soul  faculties, 
and  the  functions  of  the  various  parts  and  belong- 
ings of  the  fort. 

Perception,  for  instance,  may  be  likened  to  the 
structure  or  building  of  the  fort,  for,  unless  we 
receive  impressions  of  the  external  world,  which 
can  only  come  to  us  through  this  faculty,  there 
will  be  no  capital  for  the  other  faculties  to  work 
upon ;  that  is  to  say,  there  will  be  no  mind,  for  all 
the  other  faculties  must  remain  inactive  and  in- 
operative, from  lack  of  the  capital  of  knowledge. 
Without  this  structure,  or  building,  mind  cannot 
exist.  The  proof  of  this  is,  that  if  it  were  possible 
to  keep  a  child  from  the  time  of  its  birth,  in  a 
dark  room,  where  not  one  of  its  five  senses  could  act 
(granted  for  sake  of  the  illustration,  that  its  life 
could  be  sustained  under  these  conditions  for  a 
long  period), we  would  find,  at  the  end  of  years,  a 
human  being  perfectly  equipped  physically;  a 
human  soul  with  nine  faculties,  inhabiting  this 
physical  body,  yet  without  a  trace  of  mind,  with- 
out a  ray  of  thought ;  because  the  faculty  of  per- 
ception had  not  been  able  to  gather  a  single  im- 
pression from  the  outside  world.  Similarly,  with- 
out the  walls  or  structure  of  a  fort,  the  other 
essential  requisites  of  the  fort,  could  not  perform 
their  various  functions,  and  the  fort  would  not  be 
in  existence. 


Mind.  51 

Memory  represents  the  intelligence  office  of  a 
fort.  It  is  the  repository  of  records  and  data  ;  the 
department  in  which  the  details  of  past  happen- 
ings are  preserved  ;  for  upon  the  tablet  of  memory, 
every  mental  action,  external  or  internal,  is  regis- 
tered, so  that  in  time  of  need,  we  may  refer  to  it, 
re-cognize  and  re-collect  events  of  the  past. 

Abstraction  resembles  the  military  system  and 
arrangement  of  the  fort;  the  division  into  groups 
and  bodies,  in  order  that  action,  when  necessary, 
may  be  effective. 

Imagination  is  similar  to  the  drill  and  prepara- 
tion for  possible  emergencies ;  the  combination  of 
various  parties  and  groups,  in  readiness  for  sur- 
prises or  unexpected  plan  of  assault. 

Reason  may  be  compared  to  the  officers  of  the 
fort,  who  must  be  thoroughly  versed  in  all  the 
various  methods  of  military  action,  and  competent 
to  decide  between  the  right  and  wrong  plan,  in 
order  to  accomplish  the  most  successful  result. 

Judgment  is  the  commander-in-chief  of  the  fort, 
who  issues  final  orders  as  to  what  is  or  is  not  to  be 
done. 

Mental  Taste  may  be  likened  to  the  engineers, 
whose  duties  are  to  examine  the  condition  of  the 
fort  and  its  various  component  bodies;  supervise 
the  equipment  of  armor,  minister  to  the  comfort 
and  necessities  of  all  within  the  fort,  and  to  correct 
and  improve  all  details. 

Will  is  represented  by  the  soldiers,  who  do  the 
fighting  and  perform  the  voluntary  action  of  de- 
fense, by  making  use  of  the  various  weapons 
against  the  enemy. 


5«  Mind. 

Consciousness  is  the  official  staff,  whose  business 
it  is  to  keenly  observe  and  report  all  the  move- 
ments and  actions  of  the  enemy,  as  well  as  the 
internal  actions  of  the  fort,  so  that  the  conditions 
inside  and  outside,  may  be  under  thorough  scrutiny 
and  perfectly  understood. 

By  this  line  of  comparison,  we  show  clearly,  that 
mind  is  a  collective  name  given  to  the  nine  facul- 
ties of  the  soul,  when  they  are  united  in  action,  for 
a  specific  purpose. 

The  question  arises — ''What  is  the  difference 
between  the  soul,  spirit  and  mind?"  Soul  and 
spirit  are  often  used  synonymously,  although  soul 
is  the  intelligent  essence,  and  spirit  is  the  measure 
of  its  comprehension.  The  equivalents  of  the  two 
terms  are  found  in  the  oriental  languages.  In  the 
Hebrew,  "nephesh"  means  breath  and  is  translated 
"soul;"  while  "ruach"  means  "air,"  and  is 
translated  "  spirit. "  The  Orientals  sometimes  term 
the  intellectual  essence  ' '  nephesh  ' '  and  sometimes 
"  ruach,"  because  it  is  fine  and  invisible.  In  an- 
cient times,  before  the  lighter  gases  had  been  dis- 
covered, they  could  not  find  more  appropriate 
terms  to  represent  the  intelligent  essence  in  its 
fineness  and  invisibility.  Undoubtedly  also,  they 
associated  the  soul  with  the  breath,  since  the 
action  of  the  soul  faculties  begins  when  the  breath 
first  enters  the  physical  body,  and  ceases  with  its 
going  out  at  the  moment  of  death. 

Mind  is  sometimes  used  figuratively  to  mean 
the  soul,  as  for  instance,  in  the  expression  "his 
mind  is  at  rest;"  exactly  as  we  say  the  "king  has 


Mind.  53 

commanded,"  "the  tzar  has  arrived,"  thus  using 
their  titles  instead  of  mentioning  their  personalities. 
When  a  man  dies,  we  say  "His  soul  has  departed," 
*'His  soul  is  at  rest."  We  do  not  say  that  his 
"mind"  has  departed. 

In  the  figurative  expression,  "Eyes  have  they 
but  they  see  not ;  ears  have  they  but  they  hear 
not,"  the  meaning  is,  that  there  are  souls  who  do 
not  utilize  their  faculties  in  the  right  way,  to  get 
understanding. 

Thought  is  simply  the  action  of  the  soul  facul- 
ties. Intellect,  in  one  sense,  is  mind ;  in  another 
sense,  it  is  the  knowing  power  of  the  soul.  The 
human  soul,  endowed  with  the  nine  great  faculties 
or  powers,  stands  next  to  God  in  rank  and  degree, 
the  only  diflference  between  God  and  ourselves, 
being  the  essential  fact,  that  He  knows  more  than 
we  are  capable  of  knowing.  God  is  Infinite,  and 
His  intelligence  is  the  aggregate  of  Infinite  powers 
of  soul,  while  we  are  of  finite  essence,  limited 
in  this  existence,  to  knowledge  derived  from  col- 
lective action  of  the  nine  powers  of  that  essence 
which  powers,  when  in  action,  we  term  Mind. 


CHAPTER  III. 
LIFE. 

Life  is  that  power  or  activity  inherent  in  the  soul, 
which  enables  the  soul  faculties  to  work  together 
in  union  and  affinity.  It  is  the  means  by  which 
the  soul  connects  itself  with  its  body,  and  estab- 
lishes communication  with  the  outside  material 
and  spiritual  existence.  It  carries  all  impressions 
and  messages  from  the  outside  to  the  inside,  from 
the  inside  to  the  outside,  and  from  the  inside  to  the 
inside,  and  runs  to  and  fro  throughout  the  nervous 
system,  performing  all  the  voluntary  motions  of 
man,  in  harmony  with  the  power  of  will. 

The  word  "  life  "  is  used  in  a  general  sense,  to 
express  a  great  variety  of  meanings.  The  life  of 
anything  denotes  its  state  of  existence.  For  in- 
stance, the  condition  in  which  a  tree,  or  the  body 
of  an  animal,  has  the  capability  of  exercising  its 
natural  functions,  is  termed  the  life  of  a  tree  or  the 
life  of  an  animal  body.  In  reality,  however,  that 
power  of  chemical  affinity  and  mechanical  opera- 
tion which  governs  the  development  and  maintains 
the  existence  of  a  tree  or  body,  is  the  power  of 
growth,  and  not  the  power  of  life.  The  power  of 
life  is  therefore  specifically  restricted  to  the  soul, 
since  it  is  inherent  in  the  soul.  The  human  body, 
which  is  but  the  soul's  temporary  residence,  pos- 
sesses, like  the  tree,   the  power  of  growth  only, 

55 


56  Life. 

Man,  the  combination  or  partnership  of  a  living 
soul  and  a  material  body,  therefore  possesses  both 
the  power  of  life  and  the  power  of  growth ;  the 
former  controlling  his  voluntary  motions,  the  latter 
exercising  control  over  his  motions  and  functions 
which  are  involuntary. 

A  further  analysis  of  the  power  of  life,  necessi- 
tates more  extended  explanation  of  its  peculiar  du- 
ties and  action.  By  it,  every  impression  from  the 
outside  to  the  inside,  every  communication  from 
the  inside  to  the  outside,  every  introspection  from 
the  inside  to  the  inside,  is  delivered  to  the  faculties 
of  the  soul,  enabling  each  one  of  them  to  perform 
its  characteristic  function  toward  the  thing  cog- 
nized, and,  at  the  same  time,  to  work  in  union  and 
affinity  with  the  others.  The  power  of  life  is  there- 
fore the  current  or  medium  of  cognition.  For  in- 
stance, if  we  see  a  horse  running  wildly  toward  us, 
the  power  of  life  delivers  the  impression  of  the 
condition  of  the  horse,  to  the  faculty  of  perception, 
and  to  all  the  other  faculties  as  well,  so  that  each 
one  of  them  may  be  able  to  perform  iti  special 
function  concerning  the  impression,  and  prepare 
the  mental  action  by  which  we  may  escape  from  a 
position  of  danger. 

The  power  of  life  is  also  the  carrier  of  the  action 
of  each  faculty  to  the  other  faculties,  constituting 
the  medium  of  introspection  or  inter-action  of  the 
faculties.  For  example,  the  action  of  memory  is 
carried  by  it  to  all  the  other  faculties ;  the  action 
of  the  other  faculties  is  carried  by  it  to  the  memory, 
and  so  on   throughout     This  exquisite  and  har- 


Life.  57 

monious  interweaving  or  introspection,  this  trans- 
fer of  action  and  flow  of  intelligence  from  inside  to 
inside,  is  accomplished  through  that  current  of 
soul  activity,  the  power  of  life.  By  it,  the  soul 
kens  itself  It  is  the  means  by  which  the  soul 
connects  itself  with  its  body,  for  it  carries  the 
changes  and  experiences  of  the  body,  to  the  soul 
and  its  faculties,  along  the  afferent  or  sensory 
nerves.  By  it,  the  soul  controls  and  performs  all 
the  voluntary  motions  of  the  body,  sending  com- 
munications from  the  inside  to  the  outside,  along 
the  efferent  or  motor  nerves.  Through  this  cir- 
cuit of  the  power  of  life  along  the  nerves,  therefore, 
the  soul  is  made  aware  of  the  conditions  of  its 
bodily  residence,  and  exercises  its  intelligence  to 
protect  that  residence  from  injury,  and  keep  it  in 
good  condition. 

If  you  put  your  hand  unintentionally  in  hot  water, 
you  draw  it  out  instantly,  to  save  it  from  being 
scalded.  The  impression  of  heat  has  been  carried 
by  the  power  of  life,  through  the  sensory  nerves,  to 
the  soul  faculties.  Each  faculty  has  performed  its 
function  toward  that  impression  of  heat,  until  the 
decision  of  judgment  was  reached  and  issued  to 
the  power  of  life,  ordering  the  hand  drawn  away 
from  its  dangerous  position. 

The  power  of  life  then  executed  this  command 
of  the  soul,  utilizing  the  motor  nerves,  and  the 
hand  was  drawn  away  voluntarily,  by  the  muscles 
of  the  arm.  In  the  sensations  of  cold,  hunger, 
thirst,  sickness,  pain,  etc.,  the  power  of  life  acts  in 
the  same  way,  by  carrying  these  impressions  to  the 


58  Life. 

soul,  and  executing  the  soul's  commands  to  modify, 
as  much  as  possible,  the  injury  or  danger  of  these 
inharmonious  conditions  and  changes.  It  controls 
speech  and  song ;  the  souls  of  the  sculptor,  painter 
and  musician  find  expression  through  it ;  by  it, 
the  actor  portrays  emotions,  and  the  orator  thrills 
with  impassioned  eloquence.  All  our  thoughts 
and  feelings  are  conveyed  by  its  mysterious  sensi- 
tiveness ;  the  wishes,  hopes,  longings  and  aspira- 
tions of  our  souls,  flow  in  its  subtle  current. 

As  the  power  of  life  is  the  means  by  which  the 
soul  connects  itself  with  its  body;  the  activity  by 
which  the  soul  uses,  controls  and  protects  its  body; 
and,  as  it  runs  to  and  fro  throughout  the  nervous 
system,  we  prove  that  the  nerves  are  the  instru- 
ments through  which  the  soul  faculties  manifest 
their  functions.  For,  if  the  sensory  nerves  of  the 
hand  are  cut  or  paralyzed,  the  impressions  of  the 
sense  of  touch,  will  no  longer  be  carried  to  the 
thinking  faculties,  and  the  hand  may  be  injured  or 
destroyed,  without  the  soul's  knowledge  of  it;  yet, 
at  the  same  time,  if  the  motor  nerves  are  perfect, 
the  hand  may  be  drawn  away  at  the  soul's  command. 
If,  vice  versa,  the  motor  nerves  of  the  hand  are 
injured  or  destroyed,  while  the  sensory  nerves  are 
perfect,  the  impression  of  pain,  from  an  injury  to 
the  hand,  would  reach  the  soul,  but  the  soul's 
command  to  draw  away  the  hand,  could  not  be 
executed  by  the  muscles,  and  the  impression  of  pain 
would  continue,  until  the  other  hand  or  some 
agency,  was  used  to  carry  out  the  command  of  the 
soul,  and  remove  the  injured  member  from  its 
position. 


Life.  59 

This  proves  plainly,  that  the  soul  faculties  per- 
form their  functions  through  the  fine  part  of  the 
material  body  called  the  nervous  system,  for,  al- 
though the  paralyzed  hand  may  still  be  in  its 
normal  healthy  condition  of  combination,  with  the 
exception  of  its  sensory  or  motor  nerves,  yet  we 
find  that  the  power  of  life  does  not  perform  its 
function  in  that  combination,  outside  of  the  nerves. 

If  any  member  of  the  body  is  destroyed,  the  soul 
endeavors,  by  the  power  of  life,  to  restore  the  loss 
entailed,  by  giving  to  some  other  member  of  the 
body,  the  equivalent  of  the  destroyed  function. 
For  example,  if  an  arm  be  destroyed  by  amputa- 
tion, the  power  of  life  manifests  its  energy  and 
activity  to  strengthen  the  other  arm,  and,  after  a 
time,  we  find  that  the  remaining  arm  is  more  pow- 
erful than  it  had  been  before  the  loss  of  the  other, 
and,  to  a  certain  extent,  is  able  to  accomplish  the 
function  of  both.  If  sight  is  destroyed,  the  hearing 
becomes  keener,  and  touch  is  rendered  more  sensi- 
tive, so  that,  in  a  measure,  these  two  senses  will 
replace  the  function  of  the  destroyed  one,  enabling 
the  sightless  person  to  read  with  the  fingers,  walk 
confidently  in  the  street,  etc. 

If  the  theory  of  the  materialists  is  correct,  that 
intellectuality  is  the  result  of  the  composition  of 
the  material  elements,  the  loss  of  one  member  of 
that  composition,  must  necessarily  cause  a  propor- 
tionate loss  of  intellectuality;  but  facts  prove  the 
contrary  of  this  to  be  the  case,  for  we  find  that 
when  a  member  of  that  material  composition,  the 
body,   is  lost,   the    intellectuality    displays   more 


6o  Life. 

energy  and  vigor,  endeavoring  to  restore  to  the 
body,  the  equivalent  of  the  loss  sustained.  We 
cannot  show  that  the  loss  of  an  arm  or  a  leg, 
diminishes  mentality.  If  it  were  possible,  we 
might  reduce  the  body,  member  by  member,  until 
little  else  remained  beside  the  heart  and  brain,  yet 
still  there  would  be  no  diminution  of  the  mental 
action,  no  decrease  in  the  intellectuality,  so  long  as 
the  brain  was  maintained  in  its  normal  condition. 
And,  further,  it  is  a  well  known  fact,  that  when 
the  body  is  wasted  and  reduced  by  sickness,  to  an 
extreme  extent,  the  mental  action  is  frequently 
found  to  be  keener  and  abnormally  acute. 

SLEEP. 

Sleep  is  the  period  or  duration  in  which  the 
power  of  life  temporarily  ceases  to  perform  its 
function,  in  order  that  that  fine  part  of  the  material 
composition,  the  nervous  system,  through  which 
the  soul  faculties  manifest  themselves,  may  rest 
and  recuperate  from  the  wear  and  tear  of  action. 
Without  this  rest  or  cessation  from  action,  the 
nervous  system  would  be  worn  out  and  destroyed ; 
death  would  ensue,  thus  preventing  us  from  reach- 
ing our  maturity  of  understanding,  and  accomplish- 
ing the  purpose  of  the  soul's  residence  in  its  body. 
For  this  reason,  the  Almighty,  our  Creator  has  laid 
a  wise  and  natural  law,  that  the  power  of  life  must 
normally  cease  its  action  a  certain  period  or  dura- 
tion in  the  twenty-four  hours,  in  order  to  preserve 
the  body. 


Life.  6i 

If  the  materialists  are  right,  the  action  of  the 
power  of  life  along  the  nerves,  would  be  a  contin- 
uous and  unvarying  one ;  for  the  material  composi- 
tion is  the  same  during  sleep,  as  when  we  are 
awake,  and  consequently  there  would  be  no  sleep, 
for  the  same  action  cannot  produce  two  such  dif- 
ferent and  contradictory  conditions.  The  necessity 
of  sleep  being  evident,  the  materialistic  theory  is 
absolutely  disproved.  If,  however,  the  materialist 
should  hold,  that  both  the  conditions  of  sleep  and 
wakefulness,  are  the  results  of  material  composi- 
tion, the  claim  is  illogical,  because  the  condition 
of  being  awake,  is  an  activity  and  the  result  of 
some  action,  while  sleep  is  the  absence  of  activity, 
or  passiveness.  Sleep  cannot  be  a  result,  as  it  is 
impossible  for  no  activity  to  produce  a  result.  A 
result  is  the  consequence  of  action.  Further  than 
this,  we  know  that  although  a  man  is  asleep,  he 
may  be  awakened  by  a  loud  voice.  The  voice 
cannot  change  his  material  composition  and  pro- 
duce another  result.  As  sleep  is  the  period  during 
which  the  power  of  life  ceases  to  perform  its  func- 
tion, it  follows  that  there  is  no  mental  action  what- 
ever, when  sleep  is  normal  and  healthy.  The 
phenomena  of  dreams  and  visions,  lead  us  into 
further  understanding  of  the  subtle  sensitiveness  of 
function  possessed  by  the  power  of  life.  Not  only 
does  it  connect  the  soul  with  the  outside  material 
existence,  but  also  with  the  outside  spiritual  exist- 
ence, for  it  is  the  medium  of  connection  between 
the  souls  of  the  human  race,  and  carries  communi- 
cations from  one  to  another.     Mental  actions  or 


62  Life. 

ideas  are  carried  through  the  five  senses  by  the 
power  of  life,  from  outside  souls  to  the  thinking  fac- 
ulties, for  consideration,  and,  by  this  means,  human 
beings  gain  knowledge  and  understanding  from  each 
other.  This  connection  and  intercourse  is  not  con- 
fined to  the  souls  which  inhabit  material  bodies, 
but  extends  also  to  the  invisible.  The  power  of 
life  carries  to  the  soul,  communications  from  the 
invisible  realm,  through  revelations,  dreams  and 
visions.  In  this  way,  the  prophets  and  holy  mes- 
sengers sent  from  Gk)d  to  teach  us  the  truth, 
received  their  knowledge  and  inspiration.  Through 
revelation,  Daniel,  Isaiah,  Ezekiel,  Jesus,  and  many 
others  received  from  God,  the  knowledge  of  His 
truth  and  the  power  of  prophetic  utterance.  Not 
only  have  the  souls  of  the  great  prophets  and  holy 
men,  by  their  susceptibility  to  divine  communica- 
tions, proved  this  function  of  the  power  of  life, 
but  countless  proofs  of  it  exist  in  the  record  of 
dreams  and  visions  which  have  foretold  coming 
events,  and  in  the  revelations  of  knowledge  which 
human  souls  are  constantly  receiving  from  spiritual 
and  invisible  sources. 

Dreams,  in  the  ordinary  sense,  are  mere  halluci- 
nations or  mental  actions,  due  to  disordered  func- 
tions of  the  body  producing  excitement  of  the 
nervous  system,  which  is  communicated  to  the 
brain,  causing  subjective  action  of  the  thinking 
faculties.  These  difier  entirely  from  dreams  or 
visions  which  are  mental  actions  caused  by  the 
power  of  life  carrying  to  the  thinking  faculties, 
impressions  from  spiritual  sources  outside  of  us. 


Life.  63 

This  phenomenon  of  the  soul  faculties,  is  a  strong 
evidence  of  immortality,  which  materialists  cannot 
reasonably  deny,  for,  as  these  faculties  are  insepa- 
rable from  the  immortal  soul  essence,  and  as  the 
power  of  life  which  qualifies  the  soul,  is  the  means 
by  which  communications  are  carried  to  the  soul 
essence,  the  power  of  life  must  therefore  be  the 
means  or  tie  which  connects  the  soul  with  the  out- 
side spiritual  existence,  now  and  hereafter. 

BREATHING   AND   THE   INVOLUNTARY   MOTIONS. 

« 

Breathing,  circulation  of  the  blood,  and  all  the 
involuntary  motions  of  man,  are  the  results  of  the 
power  of  growth,  which  has  already  been  defined. 
In  a  tree,  we  find  no  evidence  of  intelligent  essence, 
yet  the  circulation  of  sap,  by  which  it  maintains 
its  existence,  is  precisely  similar  to  the  circulation 
of  blood  in  a  human  body  wherein  we  find  a  soul 
has  its  residence.  Both  the  flow  of  sap  and  flow  of 
blood,  are  purely  mechanical  operations.  The  tree 
breathes  through  the  pores  of  its  leaves,  extracting 
carbonic  acid  gas  from  the  atmosphere,  while  the 
lungs  of  the  human  body,  are  performing  the  same 
function,  by  utilizing  oxygen.  These  conditions 
or  functions,  in  both  tree  and  human  body,  are  ac- 
complished by  the  chemical  afliinity  of  the  material 
elements,  and  do  not  depend  at  all  upon  the  exist- 
ence of  intelligent  essence.  If  the  tree  is  in  need 
of  water,  it  cannot  realize  that  need  by  mental 
action,  nor  can  it  get  water  by  voluntary  effort. 
Unless  nature  supplies  it  with  water,  it  must  die. 


64  Life. 

It  cannot  supply  itself.  Possessing,  as  it  does,  the 
power  of  growth  only,  it  is  limited  in  its  existence, 
to  involuntary  motions,  such  as  breathing,  circula- 
tion of  sap,  etc.  As  soon  as  we  find  evidence  of 
intelligent  essence  in  an  organism,  we  find  the 
power  of  voluntary  action  exists,  for  the  power  of 
life  always  accompanies  the  intelligent  essence  we 
call  soul,  and  wherever  the  power  of  life  is,  there 
must  be  voluntary  action. 

• 

INSANITY.  , 

We  have  found,  by  progressive  diagnosis  of  man, 
that  the  body,  a  material  composition,  is  occupied 
by  the  soul,  an  intelligent  essence,  which,  through 
its  power  of  life,  is  enabled  to  exercise  its  faculties; 
and  that  the  power  of  life  runs  to  and  fro  upon  an 
intricate  system  of  nerve  wiring,  which  ramifies 
and  extends  to  every  portion  of  the  soul's  habita- 
tion. All  these  wires  or  nerves  are  connected  with 
the  brain,  which  may  be  compared  to  a  switch- 
board, regulating  the  action  of  the  soul  faculties. 

That  the  brain  is  a  material  instrument,  is 
proved  by  the  fact  that  we  can  resolve  it  into  the 
material  elements  of  which  it  is  composed.  We 
are  certain  that  it  is  the  instrument  through  which 
the  soul  acts,  because,  if  it  is  destroyed,  injured  or 
tampered  with,  we  instantly  find  a  corresponding 
cessation  or  fault  of  mental  action.  For  illustra- 
tion, let  us  suppose  a  house  to  be  thoroughly 
wired  and  equipped  with  electricity,  which  is  to  be 
utilized  for  nine  different  purposes,  such  as  light- 


Life.  65 

ing,  heating,  bells,  etc.  Somewhere  in  the  house, 
is  the  battery  which  generates  the  electric  current. 
If  we  trace  the  wiring  back,  however,  we  will  find 
that  there  is  no  direct  connection  between  the  bat- 
tery and  the  points  at  which  the  current  is  utilized, 
but  that  all  the  wires  lead  to  and  center  in  a 
switch-board,  from  which  a  main  supply  wire  leads 
to  the  battery  itself.  If  we  destroy  the  switch- 
board, there  can  be  no  lighting,  the  bells  will  not 
ring,  etc.;  tampering  with  the  switch-board,  gives 
faulty  action  at  the  extremities  of  the  wires.  If 
the  switch-board  is  insufficiently  insulated  or  worn 
out,  we  find  a  corresponding  loss  or  distortion  of 
the  electrical  action.  Just  so  we  find  that  injury 
to  the  brain,  prevents  the  soul  from  utilizing  its 
body.  The  soul  is  the  battery,  the  power  of  life  is 
the  electric  current,  the  nerves  are  the  wires,  and 
the  brain,  the  switch-board.  If  we  destroy  the 
brain,  we  destroy  mental  action ;  if  we  tamper 
with  it  or  with  the  nerve  wires,  we  produce  faulty 
mental  action.  From  this,  we  prove  that  insanity 
is  a  certain  abnormal  or  unhealthy  condition  of 
the  brain  or  nervous  system,  which  causes  the  soul 
faculties  to  manifest  themselves  incorrectly,  or 
prevents  them  from  full  performance  of  their  func- 
tions. By  this,  we  prove  also,  that  each  of  the 
soul  faculties  manifests  itself  in  some  particular 
part  of  the  brain,  for  an  injury  to  one  part  of  the 
brain  will  sometimes  cause  defect  of  memory,  an 
injury  to  another  part  will  entail  defect  in  the 
power  of  abstraction,  and  so  on.  When  the  soul 
faculties   cannot,  on   this  account,  exercise   their 


66  Life. 

functions  normally,  they  cannot  work  in  harmony 
with  each  other,  nor  with  the  outside  existence, 
and  this  erratic,  imperfect,  or  distorted  mental 
action,  is  termed  insanity.  Insanity,  therefore,  is 
caused  by  the  unfitness  of  the  instrument  of  mental 
action,  that  is,  by  the  imperfection  of  the  brain. 
It  is  not  the  loss  of  the  soul  faculties;  it  is  the  loss 
of  their  power  to  act.  A  man  goes  into  a  forest  to 
cut  down  trees.  If  his  axe  is  kept  sharp  and  keen, 
he  can  cut  down  the  same  number  of  trees  each 
day,  but  as  soon  as  the  axe  becomes  dull  or  defect- 
ive, the  results  of  his  work  are  less.  The  cause 
lies  in  the  instrument  of  cutting,  the  axe.  We 
cannot  say  that  the  man  is  losing  his  strength, 
because  his  axe  is  defective;  neither  can  we  say 
a  man  has  lost  his  faculties,  because  he  is  insane. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  IDENTITY   OF  GOD. 

The  Identity,  Individuality  and  Infinite  Person- 
ality of  God,  the  Almighty  Creator,  is  the  great 
underlying,  fundamental  truth  of  all  truths;  the 
only  basis  of  religious  belief  which  can  be  estab- 
lished by  thorough  analysis  in  the  light  of  scien- 
tific, logical  and  scriptural  demonstration. 

If  we  refer  to  our  reason,  the  question, — "  What 
is  the  Creator,  the  Causer  of  all  causes?"  we  cannot 
form  any  conclusion  or  idea  outside  of  these  five, — 
viz. :  He  must  be  either  the  Universe,  a  Power,  a 
Law,  a  Principle,  or  an  Identity.  To  these,  may 
be  added  the  hypothesis  that  He  is  non-existent ; 
that  is  to  say,  "there  is  no  God."  We  strictly  be- 
lieve and  teach,  that  God  is  an  Identity,  an  Indi- 
viduality, and  Infinite  Personality,  this  is  our 
positive  point.  That  He  is  neither  the  Universe, 
a  Power,  a  Law,  a  Principle,  nor  non-existent, 
forms  our  negative  point. 

We  will  first  take  each  division  of  the  negative 
point  separately,  and  prove  its  impossibility,  after 
which,  the  positive  point  will  be  considered,  and 
proved  conclusively.  God,  the  Alighty  Creator, 
is  not  the  Universe,  for  the  following  five  reasons, 
viz. : — 

First.  The  Universe  is  not  God,  because  no  par- 
ticipation of  qualities  common  to  the  whole,  is 

67 


68  The  Identity  of  God. 

found  in  it ;  that  is  to  say,  if  we  take  the  various 
parts  of  that  huge  body  which  is  supposed  to  be 
God,  we  will  find  that  each  part  of  it  differs  from 
the  others,  in  some  qualities.  For  example,  the  sun 
differs  from  the  moon ;  the  earth  from  the  comets. 
If  we  examine  the  various  substances  of  which  our 
planet  is  composed,  the  material  elements  which 
we  can  perceive  and  analyze  by  our  senses,  we  dis- 
cover that  each  element  varies  from  all  the  other 
elements,  in  its  qualities;  also  that  in  each  terres- 
trial division  or  kingdom,  are  found  many  points 
which  differentiate  it  from  the  others.  Man  does 
not  possess  the  qualities  of  a  tree ;  the  apple  those 
of  gold  ;  nor  iron  those  of  a  horse.  If  it  be  a  true 
supposition,  that  the  Universe  is  the  body  of  God, 
the  natural  and  rational  conclusion  must  be,  that 
each  particle  of  that  body,  possesses  all  the  attri- 
butes of  the  whole,  otherwise  He  cannot  be  abso- 
lute perfection.  God  is  absolute  perfection,  and 
every  part  of  Him  must  possess  all  His  qualities. 
A  drop  from  the  ocean,  will  be  found  to  contain  all 
the  qualities  of  the  waters  of  the  ocean.  As  God 
is  perfection.  He  must  be  homogeneous,  hence  the 
Universe,  which  is  not  homogeneous,  cannot  be 
God. 

Those  who  teach  that  everything  in  existence  is 
a  spark  of  God,  or  a  part  of  Him,  and  that  this 
spark  requires  a  "long  procession  of  ages  and 
cycles  to  accomplish  its  Karma,  in  order  that  it 
may  regain  its  original  condition,"  ignore  reality, 
and  do  not  reason  deeply  enough  to  reach  the 
truth.     But  suppose  we  admit   this   theory,  tak- 


The  Identity  of  God.  69 

ing  man,  the  highest  among  known  creatures,  as 
an  example.  We  must  conclude,  that,  if  man  is 
a  spark  of  God  or  a  part  of  Him,  man  must  neces- 
sarily have  all  the  qualities  of  God.  If  we  take  a 
small  piece  from  a  large  lump  of  salt,  we  find  that 
the  small  piece  has  all  the  qualities  of  the  large 
lump,  and  does  not  require  a  "long  procession  of 
years  and  ages  "  of  development,  to  accomplish  its 
return  to  the  nature  of  the  large  lump.  Thus  we 
see,  that  this  process  is  ridiculous  and  unreasonable, 
for  it  is  neither  necessary  nor  possible  to  resalt  the 
salt.  If  we  make  the  same  proposition  concerning 
the  lower  animals,  the  vegetables  and  minerals,  en- 
deavoring to  show  that  they  are  a  part  of  the 
essence  of  the  Great  Being  who  is  absolute  perfec- 
tion in  knowledge  and  wisdom,  the  conclusion 
must  be  still  more  ridiculous  and  impossible.  From 
this  reasonable  basis,  we  are  obliged  to  reject  the 
theory  that  God  is  the  Universe,  or  the  Universe 
God. 

Second.  Where  there  is  division,  there  can  be 
no  perfection.  There  is,  for  instance,  an  entire 
separation  and  distinction  between  the  essences  of 
soul  and  matter.  Therefore,  if  the  Universe  be 
God,  He  is  divided,  and,  as  division  implies  weak- 
ness in  essence  and  power,  it  necessarily  proves, 
that  He  is  not  the  Universe,  since  He  is  perfection 
and  cannot  be  divided.  We  must  remember,  that 
to  perfection,  nothing  can  be  added,  nor  can  any- 
thing be  taken  from  it.  Many  who  claim  to  be  ad- 
vanced thinkers,  have  left  the  orthodox  church, 
renouncing    its    doctrine   of    the  Trinity.     They 


70  Tlie  Identity  of  God. 

reason  correctly,  that  God  cannot  be  divided  and 
that  Three  cannot  be  One,  yet,  at  the  same  time, 
are  willing  to  believe  that  there  is  a  germ  of  Deity 
in  every  soul,  thus  dividing  God  into  millions  of 
atoms,  while  refusing  to  believe  that  He  can  be 
divided  into  three  personalities.  Their  case  is 
similar  to  that  of  the  individual,  who,  finding  him- 
self standing  under  a  leak  in  the  roof,  moved 
outside  and  stood  cheerfully  under  a  waterspout. 

Third.  Where  there  are  degrees,  there  is  defi- 
ciency, and  no  perfection.  A  cursory  examination 
of  the  surrounding  existence,  will  suffice  to  show 
us  plainly,  that  the  Universe  is  composed  of  things 
varying  in  degree.  The  mineral  and  vegetable 
kingdoms  are  dull  and  inanimate ;  the  animal 
kingdom,  in  its  wide  classification  of  species,  from 
lower  to  higher,  possesses  varying  proportion  of  in- 
tellect and  power  of  understanding ;  while  human 
beings,  the  highest  intelligent  form  of  which  we 
have  knowledge,  are  endowed  with  soul  faculties 
for  great  purposes  and  possibilities.  God  cannot 
be  partly  dull  and  partly  intelligent ;  partly  ani- 
mate and  partly  inanimate.  If  this  were  true,  He 
would  not  be  perfection ;  consequently  the  proposi- 
tion that  God  is  the  Universe,  is  utterly  untenable. 

Fourth.  If  the  totality  of  the  Universe  be  God, 
there  necessarily  must  be  an  affinity  of  sensation 
connecting  the  different  component  members  of 
that  whole.  It  is  impossible,  however,  from  obser- 
vation of  objects  around  us,  to  find  any  such  con- 
necting sensation,  between  either  the  various  classes 
and  divisions  of  these  objects,  or  between  the  dif- 


The  Identity  of  God.  7^ 

ferent  members  of  these  classes  and  divisions. 
There  is  evidently  no  connection  of  feeling  or 
sensation,  between  a  man  and  a  horse  or  dog,  or 
even  between  two  men ;  for,  while  the  first  man 
may  be  thinking  of  America,  the  thought  of  the 
second  may  be  centered  upon  Africa,  and  neither 
cognizant  of  the  mind  of  the  other.  This  shows 
that  they  are  not  members  of  a  universal  God. 
Admitting  such  a  supposition,  we  must  conclude 
that  every  thought,  idea,  movement,  action  and 
change,  must  be  felt  by  every  member  throughout 
the  entire  Universe.  An  injury  to  the  finger,  af- 
fects, through  sympathetic  nerve  fibres,  the  whole 
body,  so,  also,  if  the  Universe  be  God,  every  object 
therein  would  participate  in  the  sensation  which 
follows  the  injury  to  the  finger. 

Fifth.  The  strongest,  most  convincing  proof  in 
opposition  to  this  belief,  is,  that  from  nothing, 
nothing  can  come.  According  to  all  logic,  science 
and  natural  law,  there  must  be  a  Causer  for  every- 
thing, and,  as  the  Universe  includes  everything, 
there  must  be  a  Causer  for  the  Universe,  and  that 
is  the  Causer  of  all  causes, — the  Almighty  Creator. 
Who  will  say  that  man,  although  the  highest  of 
creation,  created  his  own  soul,  or  put  that  soul  into 
existence  ?  Admitting  even  the  possibility  of  this, 
we  know,  that  however  he  may  desire  to  remain 
here,  it  cannot  be;  he  may  not  delay  his  departure, 
but  must  inevitably  obey  the  summons  of  death, 
plainly  showing  that  his  existence  here,  is  not  in 
his  own  hands.  If  the  highest  of  creatures  cannot 
control  this,  it  is  evident  that  the  lowest  cannot 


72  The  Identity  of  God. 

As  that  which  is  caused,  cannot  itself  be  the  cause, 
so  the  Universe  cannot  be  God.  From  the  fore- 
going statements,  the  thinker  will  be  led  to  con- 
sider the  three  following  points: 

I.  Some  occult  and  mental  teachers  claim,  that 
when  man  attains  perfection, — the  point  of  highest 
intelligent  development, — his  strength  of  mentality 
can  keep  his  body  from  decay,  and  hold  it  thus 
for  thousands  of  years,  as  they  say  the  Mahatmas 
can  do ;  that  a  time  will  come  when  his  body  will 
not  die,  but  live  forever.  To  this,  it  is  sufficient 
to  reply,  that  the  claims  of  these  theorists  have 
never  been  practically  proved,  nor  can  they  be. 

This  theory  is  in  direct  opposition  to  fact,  reason 
and  natural  law.  The  animal  kingdom  is  shorter 
lived  than  the  vegetable,  for  the  reason  that  there 
is  mentality  in  the  body  of  the  member  of  the 
animal  kingdom.  As  this  body  is  a  mere  tent  or 
residence  for  the  mentality,  intelligence  or  soul 
which  inhabits  it,  the  more  that  intelligence  or 
soul  uses  its  tent,  the  sooner  the  latter  is  liable  to 
decay  and  destruction ;  and  the  stronger  and  more 
active  this  intelligence,  and  the  more  effective  its 
manifestations,  the  more  destructive  will  be  the 
effect  upon  the  tent. 

Take,  for  instance,  two  men  of  similarly  strong 
constitutions,  but  of  widely  different  temperaments; 
the  one  nervous  and  active,  the  other,  quiet  and 
deliberate.  At  the  age  of  forty,  the  one  will 
appear  to  be  old,  and  far  in  advance  of  his  years, 
while  the  other  will  seem  to  be  in  the  prime  of 
life. 


The  Identity  of  God.  73 

Again,  take  a  representative  from  each  of,  the 
two  kingdoms, — animal  and  vegetable, — a  man  and 
a  cedar  tree.  However  strongly  the  man  may  be 
constituted,  it  is  scarcely  possible  for  him  to  live  a 
hundred  years,  while  the  cedar  tree  may  flourish 
for  thousands.  Thus,  comparing  the  two  kingdoms 
in  a  corresponding  degree,  we  find,  that  existence 
without  mentality,  is  more  enduring,  and  that 
where  the  mentality  is  active,  the  sands  of  life  are 
more  quickly  run  out.  This  clearly  proves  that 
these  occult  claims  are  not  founded  upon  truth. 

This  theory  is  also  directly  opposed  to  the  laws 
of  nature,  for  we  know,  that  the  body  of  man  is  a 
composition  of  a  number  of  elements,  and  it  is  a 
scientific  fact,  that  a  composition  is  a  modification 
of  the  nature  of  the  elements  of  which  it  is  composed. 
As  these  elements  were  in  existence  before  they 
were  formed  into  that  composition,  it  follows,  that 
the  law  governing  every  composition,  is,  that  it  shall 
be  decomposed  and  resolved  again  into  its  com- 
ponent elements.  Man's  body,  as  we  have  said,  is 
a  composition  ;  therefore  man's  body,  in  accordance 
with  the  perfection  of  law,  must  be  decomposed, 
that  is  to  say,  it  must  die,  for  decomposition  is 
what  we  call  "  death."  Those  who  imagine  that 
they  can  destroy  or  overcome  perfect  natural  laws, 
when  they  become  perfect  in  mentality,  would 
change  their  belief,  if  they  could  reach  that  exalted 
state,  for  then  they  would  realize,  that  instead  of 
setting  natural  laws  aside,  they  would  be  in  perfect 
harmony  with  the  action  of  those  laws. 

2.    Some  may  ask: — '*  If  nothing  can  come  from 


74  The  Identity  of  God. 

nothing,  whence  came  God  ?"  The  question  is  not 
logical,  because,  as  the  universe  is  a  creation,  there 
must  of  necessity,  be  a  Creator  or  Causer  thereof, 
and  that  Causer  is  called  the  Almighty  Creator — 
God.  But  we  cannot  say  whence  God  came, 
because  He  is  a  Being,  existent  through  all  eternity, 
and,  since  He  is  the  Great  First  Causer  of  all 
things,  there  logically  is  no  place  nor  cause  from 
whence  He  could  come.  If  we  say  He  was  created 
by  another  God,  and  continue  backward  to  a  third, 
fourth  and  fifth,  or  any  number  of  Gods,  we  must 
finally  exhaust  the  imagination  in  an  endeavor  to 
discover  a  time  when,  and  a  place  where,  there 
was  not  a  God.  And  if  God  were  not  there,  what 
would  we  find  ?  Nothing !  But,  from  nothing, 
nothing  comes,  and  we  are  back  at  our  starting 
point  Having  reached  the  end  of  the  chain,  we 
are  obliged  to  admit  a  first  Causer  of  all  other 
causes ;  a  self-existent,  eternal  Being,  God,  the 
Creator ;  the  manifestation  of  whose  creative  power, 
brought  the  universe  into  existence. 

3.  A  superficial  thinker  may  ask:  "If  the  uni- 
verse and  everything  in  existence,  is  the  mani- 
festation of  God's  creative  power,  must  they  not 
have  come  from  God,  and  of  necessity  be  a  part  of 
Him?"  According  to  science,  and  to  natural  and 
rational  laws,  this  is  incorrect  reasoning,  for  that 
which  is  manifested,  cannot  possibly  be  a  part  of 
the  manifestor,  nor  a  part  of  his  power,  in  either 
matter  or  mentality.  The  power  of  steam  is  mani- 
fested in  the  motion  of  an  engine,  but  the  motion 
is  not  a  part  of  the  steam,  nor  of  its  power,  but  is 


The  Identity  of  God.  75 

a  result  or  product  of  the  power  of  the  steam.  A 
magnet  may  magnetize  a  piece  of  iron,  but  does 
not  thereby  lose  a  portion  of  its  essence  or  of  its 
power.  This  shows,  that  that  which  is  manifested, 
is  not  a  part  of  its  manifestor,  nor  a  part  of  its 
manifestor's  power.  So,  although  God  created  the 
universe,  still  the  universe  is  not  a  part  of  God, 
nor  of  His  power  of  creation,  but  simply  a  mani- 
festation of  that  power.  If  I  say,  "I  am  glad  to 
see  you,"  this  statement  produces  in  your  mind,  a 
certain  understanding  or  idea,  but  neither  the 
statement  nor  your  understanding  of  it,  is  a  part  of 
me  nor  of  my  power  of  speech,  but  is  a  manifestation 
of  that  power.  If  you  teach  me  a  science,  I  will 
gain  knowledge,  but  the  knowledge  I  receive,  is  not 
a  part  of  your  essence  nor  of  your  knowledge,  be- 
cause you  lose  neither  a  part  of  yourself  nor  of 
your  knowledge,  by  teaching  me.  You  simply 
manifest  your  power  and  I  receive  the  knowledge 
which  you  manifest.  Thus  we  prove,  that  the 
manifested  is  not  a  part  of  the  manifestor,  nor  of 
his  power,  and  it  therefore  follows,  that  the  uni- 
verse is  not  a  part  of  God  nor  of  His  power,  but  is 
a  manifestation  thereof. 

Many  thinkers  are  struggling  with  incessant 
effort,  to  know  and  realize  how  the  Creator,  by  His 
creative  power,  has  produced  the  essences  of  the 
universe,  and  how  He  has  endowed  them  with 
qualities  which  are  necessary  for  their  existence 
and  indestructibility.  This  knowledge  is  beyond 
our  limitation  in  the  present  existence,  for  man, 
the  soul,  although  endowed  with  many  faculties 


76  The  Identity  of  God. 

and  powers,  does  not  possess  the  creative  power,  nor 
knowledge  of  it.  This  is  the  creative  secret  which 
lies  beyond  the  ken  of  our  understanding,  but  by 
earnest  search  to  know  God,  to  become  His  chil- 
dren, and  be  grafted  into  the  Tree  of  Life,  we  may 
attain  the  privilege  of  living  with  Him  eternally 
and  understanding  His  creative  laws. 

What  has  been  stated  thus  far,  is  sufficient  to 
show  the  fallacy  and  unreasonableness  of  atheism, 
yet  the  following  facts  deserve  attention,  viz.:  — 
"  Nothing  "  cannot  be  the  Causer  of  all  causes,  for 
the  reason  that  "  Nothing  "  has  neither  powers  nor 
qualities  to  manifest,  and  by  which  to  bring  any- 
thing into  existence.  Besides  this,  there  remains 
the  indisputable  fact,  that  from  "nothing,"  nothing 
can  come ;  therefore,  the  Causer  of  the  Universe 
necessarily  exists,  and  atheistical  argument  is  an- 
nihilated. 

The  belief  that  everything  in  existence  is  self- 
existent,  without  beginning,  without  end,  and 
without  a  cause  to  bring  it  into  existence,  is  like- 
wise founded  upon  lack  of  knowledge  and  upon 
sophistical  reasoning,  for,  upon  reflection,  it  will 
clearly  be  seen,  that  there  is  no  class  or  race  in  ex- 
istence, from  the  highest  to  the  lowest,  any  member 
of  which  is  self-existent.  We  know  that  man,  the 
highest  visible  form  in  the  universe,  did  not  bring 
himself  into  existence ;  that  neither  his  coming 
upon  the  earth,  nor  his  continuance  here  in- 
definitely, is  under  his  control.  In  both,  he  is 
wholly  dependent  upon  some  other,  higher  power 
and  is  not  self-existent     There  must  therefore  be 


The  Identity  of  God.  77 

One  who  is  self-existent;  One  who  caused  man  to 
exist ;  and  that  self-existent  One,  is  the  Great 
Causer,  Being,  Creator,  God. 

The  second  article  of  our  negative  point,  is  the 
belief  held  by  many,  that  God  is  an  infinite  Power, 
filling  the  whole  universe.  This  cannot  be  true, 
for,  although  He  is  most  powerful,  possessing  in- 
finite, perfect  powers,  and  all-mighty,  yet  we  cannot 
say  that  He  is  a  Power,  because  power  is  a  quality, 
a  faculty,  an  attribute,  or  a  force,  which  belongs  to 
an  identity  or  an  essence.  There  is  no  power  without 
an  essence  or  an  identity  back  of  it.  Back  of  the 
power  of  gravitation  or  magnetism,  is  the  earth. 
Without  the  earth,  there  would  be  neither  the  one 
nor  the  other.  Given  a  power,  we  prove  the  ex- 
istence of  an  identity.  No  power  can  exist  alone 
or  without  an  identity  back  of  it.  We  ourselves 
are  the  possessors  of  many  powers  and  faculties, 
but  back  of  them  all,  is  our  identity.  We  have  the 
faculty  of  memory  and  of  reason,  but  can  we  say 
that  we  are  a  memory  or  a  reason  ?  We  have  the 
power  of  speech,  but  are  we  the  power  of  speech  ? 
No  ;  but  we  are  identities;  and  even  if  unable  to 
manifest  all,  or  any  of  the  various  powers  belong- 
ing to  us  as  human  beings,  or  if  we  lose  those  we 
have,  we  never  lose  our  identity.  The  dumb  man, 
although  without  the  power  of  speech,  never  loses 
his  identity  or  personality.  So,  we  plainly  see, 
that  God  is  not  a  Power.  He  is  greater  than 
Power.  He  is  the  possessor  of  Infinite  Power  ;  the 
identity  behind  it. 

Some  teach  that  God  is  Law,  and  if  they  teach 


78  The  Identity  of  God. 

what  they  cannot  prove,  what  is  to  prevent  people 
from  being  led  astray  ?  Law  is  the  uniform  rule, 
condition  or  method,  by  which,  through  the  opera- 
tion of  certain  powers  or  faculties — spiritual,  men- 
tal, chemical  or  mechanical, — certain  definite  re- 
sults are  produced.  Thus,  if  we  chemically  mix 
two  diflferent  elements,  the  resulting  compound  will 
be  a  new  substance,  differing  from  either  element 
composing  it.  As  the  chemical  aflBnities  of  these 
elements  unfailingly  operate  to  produce  this  definite 
result,  the  method  by  which  it  is  accomplished,  is 
termed  a  "law." 

The  seasons  of  the  year  are  produced  by  the 
motion  of  the  earth  in  its  orbit,  in  conformity  with 
what  is  termed  natural  law.  Two  and  two  are 
four ;  this  is  the  result  of  the  operation  of  the 
mental  faculties,  in  accordance  with  mathematical 
law,  and  so  on.  We  therefore  conclude,  as  above 
stated,  that  law  is  the  rule  or  method  by  which 
certain  powers  or  faculties  operate  to  produce  cer- 
tain efiects  or  results.  Back  of  a  law  must  be  an 
intelligence  which  laid  that  law,  an  identity  con- 
trolling the  action  of  that  law.  Therefore  God 
cannot  be  a  Law. 

Some  who  claim  to  be  spiritual,  teach  that  God 
is  a  Principle.  They  say:  "God  is  Love,  therefore 
Love  is  God."  It  is  true  that  Principle  is  a  foim- 
dation  or  basis  laid  by  an  intelligence,  upon  which 
to  build,  or  a  source  from  which  to  start  a  certain 
action  for  a  definite  purpose.  Thus  we  say  that 
Love,  Mercy,  Justice,  Benevolence,  Meekness,  are 
principles  upon  which  the  mind  bases  its  action 


The  Identity  of  God.  79 

for  certain  purposes.  Then  Love  is  a  principle 
laid  down  by  the  intelligence.  God  created  the 
human  race  according  to  the  perfection  of  His 
knowledge  and  wisdom  ;  His  intelligence  appre- 
ciated His  perfect  action,  and  this  appreciation  of, 
or  inclination  towards  His  creatures,  is  the  princi- 
ple hove.  In  the  light  of  this  meaning,  God  is 
Love, — that  is  to  say,  He  is  loving  toward  His 
creatures,  but  we  cannot  properly  say  that  Love  is 
God,  because  Love  is  a  principle,  a  foundation,  laid 
down  by  an  Intelligence,  and  the  foundation  cannot 
be  the  Intelligence  which  laid  it.  Back  of  Love 
there  is  Intelligence,  and  back  of  both  is  the  Per- 
sonality. If  we  say,  "Mr.  Smith  is  good,"  we 
mean  that  he  is  a  good  man ;  but  we  cannot  say 
"Good  is  Mr.  Smith,"  because  the  quality  or  foun- 
dation principle  cannot  be  the  person  who  possesses 
the  quality  or  laid  the  foundation.  Back  of  his 
principle  is  his  identity.  Mr.  Smith  is  a  person, 
not  a  principle  ;  so,  also,  God  is  a  Personality,  not 
a  principle.  Besides,  there  are  numerous  princi- 
ples each  differing  in  all  respects  from  the  others  ; 
which  of  them  is  the  God  we  ought  to  worship  ? 

As  God  exists,  and  as  He  is  neither  the  Universe, 
a  Power,  a  Law  nor  a  Principle,  it  necessarily  fol- 
lows that  He  is  an  Identity.  This  is  the  positive 
point  we  believe  and  prove,  as  follows — viz. : 

I.  God,  being  perfect  in  His  powers  and  attri- 
butes, must,  of  necessity,  be  perfect  in  knowledge; 
hence  He  knows  Himself  As  He  is  known  to  Him- 
self, He  is  limited  by  Himself  to  Himself;  for 
everything  that  is  known,  is  limited,  and  as  He  is 


8o  The  Identity  of  God. 

limited,  the  conclusion  is  inevitable  that  He  is  an 
Identity.  True,  the  finite  cannot  limit  the  Infinite  ; 
but  the  infinite  knowledge  of  God  extends  as  far 
as  His  other  infinite  powers  and  attributes,  and  thus 
His  unlimited  knowledge  limits  His  unlimited 
powers,  for  the  perfection  of  knowledge  is  a  line 
of  limit  to  the  perfection  of  power. 

To  make  this  plain,  let  us  illustrate  God's  per- 
fect knowledge,  by  comparing  it  to  an  unlimited 
line  extending  in  the  same  direction  as  the  unlim- 
ited lines  of  His  other  attributes.  We  will  find, 
that,  although  every  line  is  unlimited,  yet  no  one 
line  can  go  beyond  any  other,  because  every  line  is 
absolutely  perfect.  We  must  therefore  conclude, 
that  perfection  is  a  limit  to  perfection,  because 
whatever  is  perfect,  cannot  be  more  than  perfect, — 
perfection  being  its  limit.  Therefore  God,  being 
known  to  Himself,  is  limited  to  Himself ;  and  the 
unlimited  is  a  limit  to  the  unlimited.  This  proves 
His  Identity. 

2.  God  is  an  Individuality,  because  He  has 
powers  and  attributes.  It  is  a  scientific  fact,  that 
there  is  no  power  or  attribute  in  the  whole  uni- 
verse, without  an  identity  or  an  essence  back  of  it, 
for  every  power  or  attribute  is  an  inseparable 
quality,  qualifying  the  identity  or  the  essence  to 
which  it  belongs.  There  is  no  density  without 
matter.  "Nothing"  does  not  have  weight  and 
does  not  occupy  space.  Were  there  no  matter, 
there  would  be  no  power  of  gravitation,  no  elec- 
trical force.  Man  has  the  powers  of  memory,  of 
imagination,  of  speech ;  but  can   we  find  any   of 


The  Identity  of  God.  8i 

these  powers  self-existent?  Is  there  not  an  indi- 
viduality, a  personality,  an  identity,  back  of  each 
or  all  of  them  ?  Invariably !  All  attempts  to  dis- 
prove this  scientific  fact  are  vain.  Therefore,  we 
only  display  ignorance,  if  we  say  that  God  is  not 
an  identity,  since  He  is  all-mighty,  having  powers 
and  attributes  in  the  fullness  of  perfection. 

3.  As  it  is  known  and  proved  that  the  universe 
is  the  manifestation  of  God's  creative  power,  and 
as  that  which  is  manifested  must  possess  more  or 
less  of  the  attributes  of  its  manifestor, — so  every- 
thing in  existence  having  been  created  by  God,  has 
this  similar  quality  of  God, — Identity.  A  child 
has  qualities  similar  to  its  parents  ;  the  young  beast 
is  qualified  by  the  attributes  of  its  kind ;  a  tree  from 
the  seed  of  a  sweet  orange,  will  bear  sweet  oranges, 
and  from  the  seed  of  a  bitter  one,  will  bear  bitter 
oranges.  If  we  search  the  whole  universe,  we  will 
find  that  everything  has  its  identity;  no  two  men 
are  alike;  no  two  trees  are  exactly  like  each  other  ; 
no  two  grains  of  sand  are  duplicates ;  everything 
has  its  own  peculiar  identity,  distinguishing  it 
from  everything  else.  Why  is  this  ?  It  is  because 
God  is  an  Identity.  His  creatures  are  the  mani- 
festations of  His  powers,  and  as  the  manifested  has 
qualities  and  attributes  similar  to  those  of  the 
manifestor,  this  fact  of  their  invariable  identity, 
proves  to  us  that  God  also  is  an  Identity. 

4.  It  is  a  well-established  principle  that  the 
manifestor  is  not  the  manifested ;  the  Creator  is  not 
the  created ;  the  maker  is  not  that  which  he  has 
made.     How  can  we  distinguish  the  one  from  the 


82  The  Identity  of  God. 

otlaer  ?  What  are  the  means  of  distinction  between 
them  ?  Nothing  whatever  but  identity  or  person- 
ality. There  is  no  other  distinction,  either  in 
heaven  or  upon  earth ;  and  it  is  this  Identity,  this 
Personality  of  God,  which  distinguishes  Him  from 
His  creatures, —  His  manifestations. 

As  disbelief  in  the  Personality  of  God,  is  a  prom- 
inent characteristic  of  modern  religious  thinking, 
it  would  be  well,  at  this  point,  to  consider  the 
most  prevalent  objections  upon  which  this  disbelief 
is  founded.  In  the  sea  of  knowledge,  we  find  many 
swimmers,  but  few  divers.  Few  indeed  are  those 
who  plunge  into  the  depths  and  gather  the  pearls 
of  truth,  but  many  float  upon  the  surface,  imagin- 
ing they  have  discovered  treasures  in  the  light 
which  scintillates  feebly  from  the  gems  below. 

It  is  said  that  the  Creator  of  the  universe  cannot 
be  a  personalized  Being,  dwelling  in  a  localized 
heaven ;  that  such  a  belief  is  not  consistent  with 
the  omnipresence,  infinity  and  other  qualities  uni- 
versally attributed  to  Deity.  Some  deny  His 
providence,  asserting  that  if  He  is  a  personalized 
Being,  man  is  not  responsible  for  his  actions,  and 
would  be  deprived  of  his  individuality.  It  is  said: 
"God  is  Being,  not  a  Being."  To  meet  these  ob- 
jections, it  is  necessary  to  have  clear  understanding 
as  to  what  constitutes  personality.  According  to 
science  and  natural  law,  the  attributes  of  anything 
in  existence,  qualify  its  existence  and  distinguish 
it  from  all  other  things.  This  constitutes  its 
identity.  At  the  same  time,  when  these  attributes 
are   intelligent    attributes,   qualifying    intelligent 


The  Identity  of  God.  83 

existence,  they  constitute  the  individuality  or  per- 
sonality of  that  intelligent  existence.  Thus  the 
powers  or  attributes  of  man,  make  and  form  the 
individuality  or  personality  of  man.  Nothing  ex- 
ists in  the  universe,  without  possessing  attributes, 
either  intelligent  or  non-intelligent.  Vice  versa, 
no  attributes  can  exist,  without  belonging  to,  and 
qualifying  something  in  existence.  Therefore,  all 
intelligent  powers  or  attributes  must  belong  to  and 
proceed  from  some  intelligent  identity;  from  some 
personality.  The  conclusion  is  irresistible,  that 
God  the  Creator,  the  Causer,  is  a  Personality,  from 
the  fact  that  His  intelligent  attributes  and  powers 
are  clearly  in  evidence  and  existent. 

The  statement  that  belief  in  the  Personality  of 
God  is  a  violation  of  His  attributes,  is  therefore  not 
logical,  since  the  truth  is,  that  He  must  be  a 
Personality  because  he  possesses  attributes.  Fur- 
thermore, it  must  be  admitted  that  His  attributes 
are  Infinite  Attributes.  They  qualify  therefore  a 
Personality  which  is  likewise  Infinite.  Because 
His  attributes  are  Infinite,  we  cannot  say  that  He 
has  no  Personality,  for  these  Infinite  attributes  logi- 
cally prove  His  Infinite  Personality,  which  cannot 
be  limited  by  finite  creatures.  But  as  He  and  all 
His  powers  are  Infinite,  He  knows  Himself  and  is 
limited  to  Himself,  but  not  to  us.  It  is  not  reason- 
able to  say  that  the  Almighty  Creator  has  no 
Personality,  because  we  cannot  limit  that  Person- 
ality. The  insect  cannot  comprehend  or  limit  the 
personality  of  man.  Shall  we  say,  for  this  reason, 
that  man  has  no  personality  ? 


84  The  Identity  of  God. 

We  know,  that,  as  finite  creatures,  we  can  never 
comprehend  Infinite  Personality,  yet  it  is  possible 
for  that  Infinite  to  make  a  way,  through  which  the 
finite  may  go  and  comprehend  Him.  The  way  is 
this,  that  from  eternity,  the  Infinite  decided  not  to 
remain  forever  hidden,  secluded  from  His  creatures, 
and  incomprehensible  to  them,  but  took  unto 
Himself,  an  External  Face,  Appearance,  or  Manifes- 
tation, by  which  He  is  interpreted  to  His  finite 
creatures  ;  and  this  Form,  this  Personality  of  Mani- 
festation, is  the  One  whom  the  finite  creatures  will 
comprehend,  enjoy,  and  with  whom  they  will  live 
forever  in  the  spiritual  hereafter. 

Will  this  future  spiritual  state  be  a  "  localized 
Heaven,"  against  which  at  present,  where  is  such 
strong  opposition  of  belief?  "  Heaven  "  in  correct 
sense  of  the  term,  must  either  imply  a  supreme 
condition  or  a  locality.  Manifestly  there  can  be  no 
condition  or  state  without  position  or  locality. 
Locality  and  state  are  inseparable  and  presuppose 
each  other.  In  the  whole  Universe,  there  is  no 
condition  without  position  or  place,  and  as  Heaven 
is  a  state  or  condition  of  supremacy,  it  must  neces- 
sarily have  locality. 

As  the  intelligent  attributes  of  man,  the  soul, 
constitute  the  personality  of  man,  and  prove  him 
an  intelligent  identity  or  being,  so,  the  existence 
of  infinite  intelligent  attributes,  constitute  the  In- 
finite Personality  of  God,  and  prove  Him  an 
Infinite  Being.  The  personality  of  man  is  his 
highest  possession.  It  is  the  outcome  of  his  high- 
est powers.     To  deny  the  Infinite  Personality  of 


The  Identity  of  God.  85 

God  therefore,  is  to  deprive  Him  of  His  infinite  at- 
tributes and  place  Him  upon  a  lower  level  than 
ourselves.  If  God  is  Being,  He  is  necessarily  a 
Being,  though  infinite.  We  cannot  speak  of  an 
existing  human  creature  as  man,  not  a  man;  of 
stone,  not  a  stone.  Neither  is  it  possible  to  prove 
that  "God  is  Being  —  not  a  Being."  This  state- 
ment has  no  meaning  whatever.  Incomprehensible 
statements  are  the  surest  evidence  of  weakness  and 
error. 

5.  If  we  study  the  scriptural  teachings  of  all 
ages  and  races,  we  will  find  the  Identity  and  Per- 
sonality of  God  distinctly  set  forth.  He  appeared 
to  Adam,  Noah,  Abraham,  Jacob,  Moses  and  to 
nearly  all  of  the  prophets.  Who  of  them  did  not 
see  God  and  receive  commands  directly  from  Him, 
falling  down  upon  their  faces  at  the  appearance  of 
His  majesty  and  glory  ?  Jesus  taught  clearly  and 
unequivocally,  the  Personality  of  God.  He  said: 
"  My  Father."  He  taught  us  to  pray  "  Our  Father, 
Thy  will  be  done."  "  God  made  man  after  His  own 
image."  An  image  is  a  form,  an  identity.  There 
can  be  no  speculation  as  to  what  was  meant  by  it 
in  Genesis.  Image  cannot  be  an  abstract  idea  such 
as  holiness,  perfection,  innocence  or  purity,  as  is 
sometimes  taught  Nothing  could  be  plainer  than 
the  teachings  of  the  Bible  concerning  the  Person- 
ality of  God.  It  is  important  to  establish  this 
point,  for  the  reason  that  all  the  religious  theories 
of  the  present  day,  are  claimed  to  be  proved  from 
the  Holy  Book.  "Ye  are  my  witnesses,  saith  the 
Lord,  and  ray  servant  whom  I  have  chosen  that  ye 


86  The  Identity  of  God. 

may  know  and  believe  me  and  understand  that  I 
am  He;  before  me  there  was  no  God  formed, 
neither  shall  there  be  after  me." — Isaiah  43-10. 

To  some,  the  Infinite  Personality  of  God,  does 
not  seem  reconcilable  with  His  Omnipresence. 
They  reason,  that  a  personality  cannot  occupy 
more  than  one  place  at  the  same  time,  conse- 
quently, as  God  is  Omnipresent,  He  cannot  be  a 
Personality. 

To  illustrate  that  God,  although  a  Personality,  is 
everywhere  present,  let  us  imagine  the  universe  to 
be  crystalline  throughout ;  everything  in  existence 
transparent;  and  that  God,  the  Almighty,  is  a 
flame  located  in  some  certain  place  in  the  universe. 
We  find,  that,  although  the  flame  is  an  identity 
limited  to  itself,  yet  it  fills  the  whole  universe  with 
its  light,  until  it  is  impossible  to  find  a  place  where 
there  is  no  light  from  this  flame.  The  light  would 
also  shine  through  everything  in  the  universe,  not 
a  single  atom  existing,  through  which  the  light 
does  not  penetrate  and  interpenetrate.  More  than 
this ;  the  light  will  not  be  confined,  but  extend 
beyond  the  universe,  surrounding  it  infinitely  in 
every  direction.  Thus,  the  Personality  of  God  the 
Almighty,  like  the  flame,  is  filling  the  whole  uni- 
verse with  His  powers  ;  penetrating  and  interpene- 
trating everything  in  existence.  So  we  and  every- 
thing in  the  universe,  move  and  exist,  filled  and 
surrounded  by  His  powers.  The  flame  may  be 
likened  to  His  Identity,  the  light  of  the  flame  to 
His  powers  and  the  universe  to  His  creation.  Thus 
we  see  that   the   crystalline  universe   is   not   the 


The  Identity  of  God.  87 

flame,  nor  the  light,  nor  a  part  of  either  of  them. 
Neither  can  we  be  God,  nor  a  part  of  His  power. 
The  scriptures  teach  that  we  are  afforded  the  priv- 
ilege of  being  naturalized,  by  being  born  of  the 
spirit  and  becoming  the  adopted  children  of  God. 
God  will  neither  lose  a  part  of  His  essence,  nor  of 
His  powers,  by  that  naturalization.  We  are  taught 
plainly  that  man  is  not  God.  *'  Put  them  in  fear 
O  Lord,  that  the  nations  may  know  themselves  to 
be  but  men." — Psalms  9-20. 

"  Now  the  Egyptians  are  men  and  not  God,  and 
their  horses,  flesh  and  not  spirit.  When  the  lyord 
shall  stretch  out  His  hand,  both  he  that  helpeth 
shall  fall  and  he  that  is  holpen  shall  fall  down  and 
they  all  shall  fail  together."  Isaiah  31-3.  This 
same  truth  is  continually  stated  in  the  Scriptures; 
that  man  is  not  God,  nor  a  part  of  Him. 

It  may  be  claimed,  that,  even  according  to  the 
illustration  of  the  flame,  God  is  not  omnipresent, 
because,  as  He  is  the  flame,  located  in  a  certain 
part  of  the  universe,  He  is  not  everywhere  present ; 
for,  as  the  flame  is  the  identity ;  and  as  it  is  the 
light  of  the  flame,  which  penetrates  everything, 
the  flame  itself  which  represents  God,  is  not  omni- 
present. We  must  understand  clearly  what  "  pres- 
ence "  means.  We  are  in  the  presence  of  a  person, 
so  long  as  we  are  in  position  and  condition  to  com- 
prehend that  person,  to  know  his  thoughts,  observe 
his  actions,  and  come  under  the  operation  and  in- 
fluence of  his  powers.  It  is  not  necessary  that  we 
must  occupy  the  same  space,  to  be  in  the  presence 
of  another.     It  is  not  necessary,  therefore,  that  the 


88  The  Identity  of  God. 

Universe  and  God  must  occupy  the  same  space  ;  it 
is  sufficient  that  His  powers  penetrate  and  surround 
everything  in  the  universe ;  that  His  intelligence 
is  all-comprehending.  This  constitutes  His  omni- 
presence. The  whole  universe  is  within  the  reach 
and  under  the  control  of  His  powers. 

The  word  "God"  itself,  is  significant  of  the 
illustration  given.  It  is  derived,  not  from  ' '  good, ' ' 
as  some  suppose,  but  from  the  Persian  or  Indian 
word  " Ghauda,"  or  "Ghaud,"  meaning  "the  ab- 
solute and  supreme  governor,  whose  power  controls 
all  that  is."  In  this  meaning,  it  strongly  resem- 
bles the  illustration  of  the  flame.  The  words 
"Allah,"  *'Elohim"  and  "  Eal,"  in  the  Arabic, 
Hebraic  and  Syriac  respectively,  mean  "  the  Sur- 
rounding Power,  the  Comprehensive  "  ;  equivalent 
to  the  light  surrounding  and  interpenetrating 
everything  existing.  All  terms  are  arbitrary,  and 
no  term  can  give  full  significance  to  the  Almighty; 
nor  liken  Him  to  that  which  has  objective  exist- 
ence. Since  we  are  deficient  in  knowledge  of  Him, 
and  in  power  of  expression,  the  word  "God"  is 
used  to  denote  His  Infinity  and  Greatness,  which 
are  beyond  our  finite  comprehension. 

The  Bible  teaches  specifically,  the  Personality  of 
God.  "  I  have  made  the  earth  and  created  man 
upon  it ;  I,  even  my  hands  have  stretched  out  the 
heavens,  and  all  their  host  have  I  commanded." 
Isaiah  45-12.  "  In  whose  hand  is  the  soul  of  every 
living  thing,  and  the  breath  of  all  mankind. "  Job 
12-10.  "Who  hath  measured  the  water  in  the 
hollow  of  His  hand  and  meted  out  heaven  with  the 
span."     Isaiah  40-12. 


The  Identity  of  God.  89 

The  universe  is  in  the  hollow  of  His  mighty 
hand ;  nothing  can  be  hidden  from  His  presence. 
The  exaltation  is  to  Him,  the  authority  is  to  Him, 
and  the  greatness  is  to  Him,  forever  and  ever. 
Amen! 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE  ONENESS  AND  SINGLENESS  OF  GOD. 

Although  the  great  religions  which  were  founded 
upon  the  inspired  utterances  of  the  prophets,  such 
as  Zoroaster,  Confucius,  Moses,  Buddha,  Jesus  and 
Mohammed,  upheld  the  principle  of  Monotheism, 
yet  we  find  in  some  of  them,  evidences  of  Ditheism 
and  Tri theism. 

Zoroaster,  for  example,  taught  that  the  Supreme 
Being  must  necessarily  be  two, — one  good  and  the 
other  evil ;  this  belief  being  founded  upon  ob- 
servation of  human  actions,  which  sometime  in- 
cline toward  good  and  sometime  toward  evil. 

As  we  are  the  creations  of  One  Supreme  God, 
endowed  by  Him  with  intellectual  faculties  and 
possessing  the  power  of  independence,  which  makes 
us  responsible  for  our  actions ;  as  by  this  gift  of 
independence,  we  are  elevated  above  all  other 
visible  creations,  to  resemble  Him  and  be  fitted 
for  naturalization  into  His  divinity;  and  as  our 
independence  enables  us  to  incline  either  toward 
right  or  wrong  doing,  it  is  manifestly  certain,  that 
sin  or  evil  is  not  caused  by  a  Supreme  Evil  Being, 
but  is  the  result  of  our  own  free  will  of  action. 
Man  is  always  inclined  to  lay  the  responsibility  for 
his  wrong  doing  upon  some  one  else,  and  seek 
excuse  for  his  failure  to  do  right.  For  this  reason, 
he  has  attributed  his  sins  to  the  temptation  of  an 


92  The  Oneness  of  God. 

evil  Being,  since  God  his  Creator,  who  endowed 
man  with  faculties  and  powers,  could  not  reason- 
ably be  charged  with  causing  him  to  misuse  them. 
God  created  man  perfect.  Evil  is  the  consequence 
of  man's  independent  misuse  of  the  weapon  with 
which  God  endowed  him. 

"  Behold,  this  only  have  I  found,  that  God  made 
man  upright;  but  they  have  sought  out  many 
inventions."     Ecclesiastes  7-29. 

Nearly  all  the  great  religions  of  the  world,  teach 
the  Divine  Triad.  According  to  the  Hindoos, 
' '  Para-Brahm,  the  Supreme  unrevealed  Being, 
created  the  universe  by  self-contemplation  ;  as  Siva, 
or  Mahadeva,  he  destroyed  it ;  then,  as  Vishnu, 
restored  it  and  sustains  it."  The  Egyptians  wor- 
shipped the  trinity  of  "Isis,  Osiris  and  Horns."  The 
Greek  triad  was  "  the  heavens  above,  the  earth 
beneath  and  the  ocean  around  all  things."  In  the 
Orthic  theology,  we  find  "Light,  Life  and  Coun- 
cil." According  to  James  Freeman  Clark,  Plato 
taught  a  three-fold  God;  "  First,  as  the  profound, 
inscrutable  substance  and  cause  of  all  things  ;  next 
as  manifesting  Himself  in  the  ideas,  which  are  the 
roots  in  the  spiritual  world,  of  all  that  exists  in  the 
natural  world  ;  and  third  as  the  life  of  the  universe. " 
Pythagoras  taught,  like  Plato,  that  the  "  first  one 
was  above  all  being,  the  second  one  contained  the 
ideas  of  all  being,  the  third  one  was  the  soul  of  all 
being."  The  Gnostics  also  held  to  the  trinity  of 
"  the  spirit  in  itself,  the  self-conscious  spirit  and 
the  intelligent  reason." 

In  these  and  many  other  forms  of  religious  belief, 


The  Oneness  of  God.  93 

living  and  dead,  it  is  obvious  that  the  triad  really 
consists  of  three  attributes  of  one  central  and 
Supreme  Being,  and  not  of  three  distinct  gods.  As 
we  cannot  call  a  man,  "  nine  men  "  because  he  has 
nine  intellectual  faculties,  neither  can  we  call  God 
"  three,"  because  He  has  three  powers  or  attributes. 

The  doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  is  much  older  than 
Christianity,  and  was  grafted  into  the  teachings  of 
Jesus,  from  Egyptian  sources.  Quoting  Clark's 
"Ten  Great  Religions,"  page  138:  "There  is  no 
doubt  that  the  Christian  doctrine  of  the  Trinity 
was  derived  from  such  forms  of  thought  previously 
existing  in  Egypt  and  elsewhere.  It  grew  out  of  a 
philosophical  attempt  to  unite  the  monotheism  of 
the  Jews,  with  the  profound  tendencies  of  the  Ori- 
ental and  Grecian  mind.  Philo  had  led  the  way  in 
this  attempt ;  and  Alexandria,  where  he  lived  and 
taught,  was  also  the  place  wherp  the  Christian 
Trinity  took  its  origin.  The  early  Christian  think- 
ers who  followed  Christ  in  their  faith,  took  Plato 
as  their  master  in  philosophy.  Their  object  was 
to  see  the  Divine,  in  the  unity  of  things  and  also 
in  their  variety.  The  Supreme  Being,  One  in 
Himself,  is  nevertheless  the  source  and  author  of 
the  infinitely  varied  world." 

Christianity  has  gone  beyond  the  ground  of  be- 
lief of  all  other  religions,  by  crystallizing  the  triad 
into  three  distinct  personalities ;  each  a  perfect  God 
in  Himself,  equal  to  the  others  in  power,  glory  and 
majesty;  and  by  teaching  that  these  three  are  one 
God.  In  this  doctrine,  the  Church  has  gone  out- 
side the  circle  of  Truth,  and  lost  the  ground  upon 
which  it  stood,  for  the  following  reasons  : — 


94  The  Oneness  of  God. 

First :  It  is  an  indisputable  fact,  that,  according 
to  science  and  reason,  there  is  nothing  in  existence 
in  the  whole  universe,  without  a  cause  ;  and,  as  the 
universe  is  the  collection  of  all  these  things,  there- 
fore there  must  be  a  first  cause  for  it.  As  a  first 
cause  cannot  be  two  causes  or  three,  so  also  that 
first  cause  which  we  call  God,  cannot  be  three 
Gods. 

Second  :  As  already  shown  in  the  previous  chap- 
ter, God  is  an  Individuality.  According  to  logic 
and  reason,  He  cannot  be  three  Individualities ; 
and,  as  Individuality  is  an  Identity  which  cannot 
be  divided,  so  God  cannot  be  three  persons  or  di- 
visions. 

Third :  God  is  absolute  Perfection;  therefore  He 
cannot  be  three  persons ;  for  nothing  can  be  added 
to  Him  and  nothing  can  be  taken  from  Him.  If 
each  of  the  three  persons  is  equal  to  the  other,  He 
cannot  be  perfect  in  Himself,  because  it  is  neces- 
sary for  Him  to  be  added  to  the  other  two  persons, 
to  make  the  One  Absolute  Perfect  God  ;  therefore 
He  cannot  be  three  perfect  gods  and  One  Perfect 
God  at  the  same  time. 

Fourth:  Three  cannot  be  one  and  one  cannot 
be  three,  although  the  three  are  equal  to  each 
other.  Take,  for  instance,  three  twenty-five  cent 
pieces.  Although  each  piece  is  equal  to  the  others 
in  weight,  shape,  and  value,  we  cannot  say  that 
the  three  are  one  piece,  for  it  is  against  the  light 
of  reason  which  God  gave  us;  the  only  ground  we 
have  to  stand  upon.  Everything  in  a  direct  line 
against  this  light,  is  not  true,  because,  if  we  admit 


The  Oneness  of  God.  95 

to  be  true  that  which  is  in  contradiction  to  our 
reason,  we  attribute  to  God,  deception  and  in- 
justice, for  giving  us  thinking  faculties  which  see 
the  wrong  right  and  the  right  wrong. 

In  support  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  it  is 
sometimes  held,  that  God  the  Father,  to  show  His 
absolute  perfection,  created  the  Son  to  be  His 
equal,  and  as  there  is  no  time  to  be  considered, 
since  we  are  all  living  in  eternity,  the  Father  and 
Son  are  equal  in  every  respect.  This  is  illogical 
reasoning,  because  it  would  be  necessary  for  the 
Son  to  prove  His  perfection  and  equality,  by 
creating  a  third  God,  and  the  third  must  create  a 
fourth,  and  so  on  indefinitely,  until  there  would  be 
Gods  innumerable. 

We  believe  in  the  Oneness  and  Singleness  of 
God;  that  there  is  no  other  God  beside  Him. 
This  is  the  teaching  of  the  Old  and  New  Testa- 
ments, and  especially  of  Christ  himself 

In  "Ten  Great  Religions"  page  147 — "Having 
thus  seen  Monotheism  in  philosophy,  we  now 
come  to  consider  it  in  all  the  religions.  It  may 
surprise  us  to  learn,  that  Monotheism  has  existed 
in  all  or  nearly  all  religions,  and  that  in  the  most 
highly  developed  Polytheism,  there  still  remains, 
perhaps  in  an  obscure  form,  a  very  real  Monothe- 
ism." 

In  Isaiah  46-9,  "Remember  the  former  things  of 
old;  for  I  am  God,  and  there  is  none  else;  I  am 
God,  and  there  is  none  like  me."  Exodus  34-14 — 
"For  thou  shalt  worship  no  other  God;  for  the 
Lord   whose   name  is  Jealous,  is  a  jealous  God." 


96  The  Oneness  of  God. 

Deuteronomy  4-39 — "Know  therefore  this  day, 
and  consider  it  in  thine  heart,  that  the  Lord  He  is 
God  in  heaven  above,  and  upon  the  earth  beneath; 
there  is  none  else."  Deuteronomy  6-4 — "Hear, 
O  Israel;  the  Lord  our  God  is  one  Lord."  Deu- 
teronomy 10-17 — "For  the  Lord  your  God,  is 
God  of  gods,  and  Lord  of  lords,  a  great  God, 
a  mighty,  and  a  terrible,  which  regardeth  not 
persons,  nor  taketh  reward."  Jeremiah  10-6 — 
"For  as  much  as  there  is  none  like  unto  thee, 
O  Lord;  thou  art  great,  and  thy  name  is  great 
in  might."  Also  the  i6th  verse:  "The  por- 
tion of  Jacob  is  not  like  them;  for  he  is  the 
former  of  all  things;  and  Israel  is  the  rod  of  his 
inheritance;  the  Lord  of  hosts  is  His  name." 
Hosea  13-4 — "Yet  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God  from 
the'  land  of  Egypt,  and  thou  shalt  know  no  God 
but  me;  for  there  is  no  Saviour  beside  me." 
Isaiah  42-5 — "Thus  saith  God  the  Lord,  he  that 
created  the  heavens,  and  stretched  them  out;  he 
that  spread  forth  the  earth,  and  that  which 
Cometh  out  of  it,  he  that  giveth  breath  unto  the 
people  upon  it,  and  spirit  to  them  that  walk 
therein."  Isaiah  43-3 — "For  I  am  the  Lord  thy 
God,  the  Holy  one  of  Israel,  thy  Saviour;  I  gave 
Egypt  for  thy  ransom,  Ethiopia  and  Seba  for  thee." 
Also  loth  verse:  "  Ye  are  my  witnesses,  saith  the 
Lord,  and  my  servant  whom  I  have  chosen;  that  ye 
may  know  and  believe  me,  and  understand  that  I 
am  He;  before  me  there  was  no  God  formed, 
neither  shall  there  be  after  me."  Also  nth  verse: 
"I,  even  I,  am  the  Lord;  and  beside  me  there  is  no 


The  Oneness  of  God.  97 

Saviour."  Also  14th  and  15th  verses:  "Thus 
saith  the  Lord,  your  redeemer,  the  Holy  One  of 
Israel;  for  your  sake  I  have  sent  to  Babylon,  and 
have  brought  down  all  their  nobles,  and  the  Chal- 
deans, whose  cry  is  in  the  ships."  "I  am  the  L,ord, 
your  Holy  One,  the  Creator  of  Israel,  your  King. " 
Isaiah  44-6 — "Thus  saith  the  Lord  the  King  of 
Israel,  and  his  redeemer,  the  Lord  of  Hosts;  I  am 
the  first,  and  I  am  the  last;  and  beside  me  there  is 
no  God."  Also  the  8th  verse:  "Fear  ye  not, 
neither  be  afraid;  have  not  I  told  thee  from  that 
time,  and  have  declared  it?  ye  are  even  my  wit- 
nesses. Is  there  a  God  beside  me?  Yea,  there  is 
no  God,  I  know  not  any."  Isaiah  45-5 — "I  am 
the  Lord,  and  there  is  none  else,  there  is  no  God 
beside  me."  Also  nth  verse:  ''Thus  saith  the 
Lord,  the  Holy  One  of  Israel  and  His  maker, 
Ask  me  of  things  to  come  concerning  my  sons,  and 
concerning  the  work  of  my  hands,  command  ye 
me."  Also  the  i8th  verse:  "For  thus  saith  the 
Lord  that  created  the  heavens;  God  himself  that 
formed  the  earth  and  made  it;  he  hath  established 
it;  he  created  it  not  in  vain,  he  formed  it  to  be 
inhabited;  I  am  the  Lord,  and  there  is  none  else. " 
According  to  the  teachings  of  Jesus,  as  recorded 
in  the  four  gospels  of  the  New  Testament,  he  him- 
self made  no  claim  to  be  God,  or  of  equality  with 
the  Father.  On  the  contrary,  he  taught  the  Unity 
of  God,  and  the  evidence  is  historically  clear  that 
the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  was  introduced  into 
Christianity  by  the  Church  fathers,  centuries  after 
the  crucifixion  of  Jesus.     John  14-28:   ''Ye  have 


98  The  Oneness  of  God. 

heard  how  I  said  unto  you,  I  go  away,  and  come 
again  unto  you.  If  ye  loved  me,  ye  would  rejoice, 
because  I  said,  I  go  unto  the  Father  ;  for  my  Father 
is  greater  than  I." 

John  15-1 — "  I  am  the  true  vine,  and  my  Father 
is  the  husbandman."  Also  5th  verse :  "I  am  the 
vine,  ye  are  the  branches."  Here  is  a  clear  ac- 
knowledgment by  Christ,  that  God,  the  Lord  of 
the  Vineyard,  is  greater  than  Christ,  the  true  vine. 
Mark  13-32 — "  But  of  that  day  and  that  hour, 
knoweth  no  man,  no,  not  the  angels  which  are  in 
heaven,  neither  the  son,  but  the  Father."  Christ 
here  confessed  his  own  inferiority  in  knowledge,  to 
that  of  the  Father.  If  he  then  is  not  the  equal  of 
God,  as  he  taught,  it  is  impossible  for  God  to  be 
three  persons  equal  to  each  other,  as  taught  by  the 
Trinitarians. 

Newman,  "Phases  of  Faith,"  page  47 — "I  rev- 
erenced the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  as  something 
vital  to  the  soul;  but  felt,  that  to  love  the  Fathers 
or  the  Athanasian  Creed,  more  than  the  Gospel  of 
John,  would  be  a  supremely  miserable  superstition. 
Now,  in  the  5th  Chapter  of  John,  when  the  Jews 
accuse  Jesus  'of  making  himself  equal  to  God,'  by 
calling  himself  the  Son  of  God,  Jesus  even  hastens 
to  protest  against  the  inference  as  a  misrepresenta- 
tion,— beginning  with  '  The  Son  can  do  nothing  of 
himself,'  and  proceeds  elaborately  to  ascribe  all  his 
greatness  to  the  Father's  will. 

**  I  at  length  saw,  that  the  compiler  of  the  Ath- 
anasian Creed  did  not  understand  his  own  words. 
If  anyone  speaks  of  three  men,  all  that  he  means  is 


The  Oneness  of  God.  99 

♦three  objects  of  thought,  of  whom  each  sepa- 
rately may  be  called  man.'  So  also,  all  that  could 
possibly  be  meant  by  three  gods,  is  '  three  objects 
of  thought,  of  whom  each  separately  may  be  called 
God. '      Thus  the  Creed  really  teaches  polytheism. 

"  That  there  is  nothing  in  the  Scriptures  about 
Trinity  in  Unity  and  Unity  in  Trinity,  I  had  long 
observed.  But  in  my  study  of  John,  I  was  now 
arrested  by  a  text,  which  showed  me  how  exceed- 
ingly far  from  a  Tri-unity  was  the  Trinity  of  the 
Gospel, — if  Trinity  it  be,  namely,  in  his  last  prayer, 
Jesus  addresses  to  his  Father  the  words — '  This  is 
life  eternal,  that  they  may  know  Thee,  the  only 
True  God,  and  Jesus  Christ  whom  thou  hast  sent' 

"The  thought  crossed  my  mind,  what  if  we^ 
like  Henry  Martyn,  were  charged  with  polytheism 
by  Mohammedans,  and  were  forced  to  defend  our- 
selves by  explaining  in  detail,  our  doctrine  of  the 
Trinity  ?  Perhaps  no  two  of  us  would  explain  it 
alike,  and  this  would  expose  Christian  doctrine  to 
contempt.  Then,  further,  it  came  across  me : 
How  very  remarkable  it  is,  that  the  Jews,  those 
strict  Monotheists,  never  seem  to  have  attacked  the 
Apostles  for  polytheism.  It  would  have  been  so 
plausible  an  imputation,  if  there  has  been  any  ex- 
ternal form  of  doctrine  to  countenance  it.  Surely 
it  is  transparent  that  the  Apostles  did  not  teach  as 
Dr.  Waterland." 

It  is  a  historical  fact  that  St.  Athanasius  intro- 
duced the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  into  the  Christian 
Church,  three  hundred  and  twenty-five  years  after 
Christ 


loo  The  Oneness  of  God. 

Christ,  according  to  his  own  words,  cannot  be 
God,  because  he  said,  Luke  13-32: — that  "  in  three 
days  I  will  be  perfected."  God  cannot  need  per- 
fecting. Throughout  the  Gospels,  the  record  is 
evident,  that  according  to  Christ's  own  words  and 
knowledge  of  himself,  he  was  not  God.  No- 
where does  he  claim  equality  with  God,  but  every- 
where, it  is  clearly  evident,  by  his  own  confession 
of  inferiority,  that  God  the  Father  is  greater  than 
Christ,  and  is  One  God. 

The  Unity  of  God  is  distinctly  enunciated  in 
the  words  of  Christ,  Mark  12-28  to  35: — "And 
one  of  the  scribes  came,  and  having  heard  them 
reasoning  together,  and  perceiving  that  he  had 
answered  them  well,  asked  him,  which  is  the  first 
commandment  of  all  ?  And  Jesus  answered  him: 
The  first  of  all  commandments  is.  Hear  O  Israel ; 
The  Lord  our  God  is  one  Lord.  And  thou  shalt 
love  the  Lord  thy  God,  with  all  thy  heart,  with  all 
thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  mind,  and  with  all  thy 
strength ;  this  is  the  first  commandment.  And  the 
second  is  like,  namely  this,  Thou  shalt  love  thy 
neighbor  as  thyself  There  is  none  other  com- 
mandment greater  than  these.  And  the  scribe 
said  unto  Him,  Well,  Master,  thou  hast  said  the 
truth ;  for  there  is  one  God ;  and  there  is  none  other 
but  He.  And  to  love  Him  with  all  the  heart,  and 
with  all  the  understanding,  and  with  all  the  soul, 
and  with  all  the  strength,  and  to  love  his  neighbor 
as  himself,  is  more  than  all  whole  burnt  offerings 
and  sacrifices.  And  when  Jesus  saw  that  he 
answered  discreetly.  He  said  unto  him,  Thou  art 


The  Oneness  of  God.  loi 

not  far  from  the  Kingdom  of  God.     And  no  man 
after  that,  durst  ask  him  any  questions." 

Practically,  the  only  support  for  the  doctrine  of 
the  Trinity,  is  found  in  the  First  Epistle  of  John, 
5th  Chapter,  7th  verse.  According  to  the  St. 
James  Version  of  the  New  Testament,  we  read : 
"  For  there  are  three  that  bear  record  in  heaven, 
the  Father,  the  Word  and  the  Holy  Ghost ;  and 
these  three  are  one."  This  verse  does  not  appear 
in  the  Revised  Version  of  Scripture,  from  the  fact 
that  it  is  known  to  be  a  spurious  addition  to  the 
text.  Therefore,  the  only  ground  of  claim  for 
the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  in  the  Bible,  proves 
to  be  an  interpolation,  and  upon  revision  of  the 
original  text,  this  verse  has  been  stricken  out 
According  to  the  Gospel  of  John,  loth  Chapter, 
29th-30th  verses,  Christ  said,  when  speaking  of  his 
believers : — "  My  Father  which  gave  them  me,  is 
greater  than  all ;  and  no  man  is  able  to  pluck  them 
out  of  my  Father's  hand.  I  and  my  Father  are 
one."  Christ  cannot  be  said  to  have  assumed 
equality  with  God  in  this  statement,  because,  while 
assuming  oneness  of  purpose  with  God,  he  still  de- 
clares God  to  be  greater  than  himself  By  it,  he 
meant  that  he  was  one  with  God  in  purpose  and 
teachings  ;  the  way  to  God,  the  truth  of  God,  the 
life  in  God,  but  not  a  part  of  God.  Again  in  John 
17-11  : — "And  now  I  am  no  more  in  the  world, 
but  these  are  in  the  world  and  I  come  to  thee. 
Holy  Father,  keep  through  thine  own  name  those 
whom  Thou  hast  given  me,  that  they  may  be  one, 
as  we  are." 


I02  The  Oneness  of  God. 

From  this,  we  understand  that  Christ  was  ask- 
ing God  to  keep  his  disciples  in  His  name  and  to 
grant  them  the  high  position  of  oneness  with 
Christ  and  with  God,  just  as  Christ  was  one  with 
God  the  Father.  Christ,  therefore,  did  not  mean 
by  being  "one  with  the  Father,"  that  he  is  equal 
to  Him,  for  if  that  were  so,  it  would  follow  that  the 
answer  to  his  petition,  would  make  the  disciples 
alsb  equal  with  the  Father,  and  so  every  follower 
of  Christ  would  have  the  same  position  of  equality 
with  God. 

In  John  14-8  to  nth,  Christ  again  acknowledges 
the  infinite  superiority  of  God,  to  himself 

"  Philip  saith  unto  Him,  Lord,  show  us  the 
Father  and  it  sufficeth  us.  Jesus  saith  unto  him, 
have  I  been  so  long  time  with  you,  and  yet  thou 
hast,  not  known  me,  Philip?  He  that  hath  seen 
me,  hath  seen  the  Father ;  and  how  say  est  thou 
then,  Show  us  the  Father?  Believest  thou  not 
that  I  am  in  the  Father,  and  the  Father  in  me  ? 
The  words  I  speak  unto  you,  I  speak  not  of  myself; 
but  the  Father  that  dwelleth  in  me.  He  doeth  the 
works.  Believe  me  that  I  am  in  the  Father,  and 
the  Father  in  me  ;  or  else  believe  me  for  the  very 
work's  sake." 

Christ's  teaching  here,  was  to  show  his  'disciples 
that,  the  Father  had  manifested  Himself  in  him. 
It  seems  that  the  disciples,  Philip  particularly,  did 
not  understand  this  great  point.  Christ  explains 
to  them,  that  he  spoke  not  the  words  of  himself 
He  did  not  claim  that  he  spoke  and  taught  from 
his  own  knowledge,  but  that  God  the  Father  spoke 


The  Oneness  of  God.  103 

through  him;  entirely  separating  himself  from  God, 
by  the  statement,  ' '  I  speak  not  of  myself,  but  the 
Father  that  dwelleth  in  me.  He  doeth  the  works." 
Furthermore,  in  the  nth  verse,  Christ  admits  that 
the  works  he  performed,  he  could  not  perform 
unless  the  Father  was  manifest  in  him.  It  is  a 
clear  confession  of  his  own  helplessness,  unless 
God  spoke  and  wrought  through  him.  If  Christ 
was  equal  to  the  Father,  he  could  have  performed 
these  works  and  spoken  this  truth  from  his  own 
power  and  knowledge.  On  the  contrary,  he  shows 
us  plainly  by  his  words,  the  distinction  between 
his  personality  and  the  Infinite  Personality  of  God, 
and  also  the  difference  in  his  position  and  power. 
God  the  Father,  the  Lord  of  Hosts,  has  man- 
ifested Himself  to  the  human  race,  many  times ;  in 
Christ  as  well  as  in  Abraham,  Moses  and  the  other 
prophets.  The  Spirit  of  God  which  spoke  through 
Christ,  spoke  through  all  the  other  true  prophets. 
Christ  taught  his  disciples  that  God  had  manifested 
Himself  in  him.  The  whole  groundwork  of  evi- 
dence from  scriptural,  logical  and  philosophical 
proof  and  consideration,  is  an  overwhelming  cer- 
tainty of  knowledge,  that  God,  the  Almighty,  the 
Omnipotent  Creator,  is  One,  and  "He  spoke  through 
the  lips  of  His  holy  prophets,  which  have  been 
since  the  world  began." 


CHAPTER  VI. 

MIRACLES. 

We  do  not  accept  the  miracles  of  the  Old  and 
New  Testaments  in  a  literal  sense,  as  they  are 
commonly  understood,  but  interpret  and  explain 
them  as  symbolical  expressions  of  spiritual  truth. 
Our  reasons  for  differing  from  the  belief  of 
Christians,  Jews  and  Mohammedans,  in  miracles, 
are  as  follows:  First, — Although  it  is  an  estab- 
lished fact  that  everything  is  possible  with  God, 
and  that  God  can  perform  whatever  He  wills  and 
chooses,  yet  we  know  that  He  cannot  make  a  mis- 
take, nor  will  He  perform  an  action  contrary  to 
the  perfection  of  His  knowledge  and  wisdom.  As 
He  created  everything  according  to  His  perfection, 
it  is  a  necessary  sequence,  that  whatever  He 
created,  must  be  perfect  in  its  limitation.  If  per- 
fect in  its  limitation,  it  must  be  governed  by  per- 
fect laws  and  attributes  which  are  necessary  for 
its  existence. 

Therefore,  whatever  God  does,  must  be  in  har- 
mony with  everlasting  law,  which  cannot  be 
changed  or  annulled,  having  been  laid  by  the  per- 
fect power  of  Ood.  If  He  Himself  should  annul 
or  violate  His  own  laws,  it  would  denote  their 
weakness,  and  be  an  evidence  that  He  did  not 
ordain  them  after  His  perfection  of  knowledge  and 
wisdom. 

SOS 


io6  Miracles. 

God,  and  the  laws  of  God,  are  unchangeable. 
Therefore  we  cannot  accept  the  literal  perform- 
ance of  miracles,  which,  being  violations  of  His 
laws,  are  violations  of  the  perfection  of  God  Him- 
self. 

Second, — ^Where  there  is  infinite  power,  there 
is  infinite  justice,  equally  apportioned  to  the  human 
race.  Every  human  soul  is  therefore  afibrded  the 
same  privilege  of  development.  Every  soul  has, 
likewise,  the  same  need  of  His  mercy.  His  gifts 
and  His  blessings,  and  as  all  souls  are  weak  and 
dependent  upon  Him,  it  would  be  injustice,  if  God 
should  perform,  at  certain  times,  and  for  certain 
souls,  miraculous  actions  intended  to  further  their 
development,  while  depriving  other  souls,  at  other 
times,  of  that  same  privilege.  As  this  would  be  a 
violation  of  His  perfect  and  infinite  justice,  we  do 
not  believe  in  the  literal  performance  of  miracles 
ascribed  to  Him. 

Third, — God  the  Almighty  has  bestowed  upon 
man,  the  God-power  of  will,  that  man  might  be 
independent  in  his  actions,  and  responsible  for  his 
deeds.  The  function  of  this  great  weapon  of  in- 
dependence, is,  that  man  shall,  of  his  own  choos- 
ing, seek  God  his  Creator,  accept  Him  and  rise 
toward  Him  in  knowledge  and  understanding.  If 
God,  by  the  performance  of  miracles  and  the  dis- 
play of  His  almighty  power,  should  force  man  to 
believe  in  and  seek  Him,  this  function  of  inde- 
pendence is  annulled.  Without  independence,  we 
could  not  be  like  Him,  or  worthy  and  fitted  to 
become  His  children.     Therefore,  as  we  know  we 


Miracles.  107 

have  independence  to  choose  God,  and  as  the  pur- 
pose of  miracles  must  be  to  influence  our  belief  in 
Him,  we  cannot  reconcile  them  with  His  infinite 
justice. 

Fourth, — All  or  nearly  all  believers  in  miracles, 
believe  in  them  from  the  fact  that  they  are  re- 
corded in  the  scriptures  as  the  word  of  God.  This 
is  an  acknowledgment  that  the  word  of  God'  has 
power  enough  in  itself,  to  influence  the  soul  of  man 
to  believe  in  Him.  As  the-  function  of  miracles 
can  be  no  other  than  that  of  influencing  us  toward 
Gk)d,  the  word  of  God  does  ilot  require  the  assist- 
ance of  these  few  unreasonable  violations  of  natural 
law,  to  make  us  believe  in  Him.  Therefore,  we 
do  not  believe  in  miracles,  because  they  are  not 
necessary. 

Fifth, — If  we  admit,  that  God,  the  Almighty, 
through  his  prophets  and  messengers,  has  per- 
formed miracles  for  the  purpose  of  persuading 
human  belief  in  Him,  it  is  an  evident  truth,  that 
His  intention  has  not  been  successfully  accom- 
plished. The  wicked,  and  those  who  do  not  seek 
God,  have  never  been  and  will  never  be  influenced 
toward  God  by  miracles. 

The  scriptures  teach  this  point  plainly. — Luke, 
16-31:  "And  he  said  unto  him,  if  they  hear  not 
Moses  and  the  prophets,  neither  will  they  be  per- 
suaded though  one  rose  from  the  dead."    • 

Again  in  Mark  8-1 2.  "  And  he  sighed  deeply 
in  his  spirit  and  saith, — why  doth  this  generation 
seek  after  a  sign  ?  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  there 
shall  no  sign  be  given  to  this  generation." 


io8  Miracles. 

This  is  plain  teaching  by  Christ,  that  there  is  no 
use  of  signs  and  miracles  for  the  persuasion  of  peo- 
ple toward  God.  As  Christ  said  no  sign  would  be 
given,  we  should  believe  him ;  and  if,  as  he  said, 
miracles  neither  affect  nor  benefit  those  who  do  not 
wish  to  believe,  and  have  no  influence  upon  the 
wicked,  the  function  of  miracles  is  annulled. 

Sixth, — The  scriptures  say,  "  Not  by  might,  nor 
by  power,  but  by  my  spirit,  saith  the  Lord  of 
Hosts."  Zechariah  4-6.  We  must  come  to  God 
by  the  spirit ;  that  is,  through  our  intelligence 
and  understanding,  and  not  influenced  or  forced 
by  display  of  His  power  and  strength.  God  will 
never  force  us  through  fear,  to  seek  Him,  since 
by  fear  of  His  power,  he  would  deprive  us  of  the 
exercise  of  our  independence.  What  He  has  done 
is  everlasting  law.  Our  gift  of  independence  is  an 
eternal  gift,  and  depriving  us  of  it,  would  destroy 
the  perfection  of  His  law  and  action.  Miracles, 
therefore,  as  displays  of  His  power  to  force  our 
wills,  are  impossible. 

Seventh, — Since  the  miracles,  as  they  are  com- 
monly understood  and  accepted,  are  diametrically 
opposed  to  the  light  of  our  power  of  reason ;  as  this 
power  was  given  us  to  test  all  things  according  to 
its  light,  and  as  it  is  the  only  ground  of  surety 
upon  which  we  stand,  God  would  never  perform 
actions  which  violate  it. 

The  highest  utterance  predicated  of  Him,  is 
"Come  now  and  let  us  reason  together."  Shall 
we,  at  the  same  time,  believe  Him  capable  of  per- 
forming unreasonable  actions,  and  expecting  us  to 
believe  in  them  ? 


Miracles.  109 

Eighth, — God  has  taught  us,  through  Christ, 
that  "He  is  spirit,"  and  that  we  must  worship 
Him  "in  spirit  and  in  truth."  "Spirit"  means 
"  the  intelligence  and  understanding."  Therefore 
Christ  taught  us  that  God  is  intelligence,  and  must 
be  worshiped  intelligently. 

Belief  in  miracles  which  violate  intelligence, 
cannot  be  intelligence  of  worship,  and  must  be 
contrary  to  Christ's  teachings. 

Ninth, — If  miracles  are  necessary  to  persuade 
our  belief  in  God,  have  we  not  millions  of  miracles 
in  the  universe  about  us  ?  Are  we  not  surrounded, 
materially  and  spiritually,  by  the  actions  and  evi- 
dences of  our  Almighty  Creator,  each  one  more 
wonderful  and  miraculous  than  the  few  unimpor- 
tant happenings  in  scripture  ?  Do  we  need  these 
few  unreasonable  miracles  to  persuade  us  toward 
that  Omnipotent  God  ? 

Tenth, — God,  in  creating  the  universe,  estab- 
lished everlasting  laws  to  govern  it.  Everything 
accomplished,  must  be  accomplished  by  those  laws. 
Nothing  can  be  accomplished  otherwise.  Violation 
of  the  action  of  these  laws,  would  imply  deficiency 
in  the  perfect  action  of  God,  and  there  can  be  no 
truth  where  there  is  deficiency  or  lack  of  perfection. 
Therefore,  as  miracles  are  founded  upon  violation 
of  God's  laws,  and  imply  His  deficiency  or  lack  of 
perfection,  we  refuse  to  accept  them. 

Eleventh, — The  proof  must  be  of  the  nature  of 
the  claim.  The  proof  of  a  prophet  must,  neces- 
sarily, be  a  spiritual  one.  The  teachings  of  a 
spiritual  messenger  are  intended  to  lead  the  wicked 


I  lo  Miracles. 

unto  righteousness.  This  is  a  full  evidence  of  his 
true  message,  for  it  is  of  the  nature  of  his  claim. 
But  to  change  water  into  wine,  or  a  stick  into  a 
serpent,  is  not  a  sufficient  argument  for  his  spiritual 
mission.  By  changing  a  knife  into  a  bandage,  a 
physician  could  not  prove  his  ability  to  cure 
disease. 

Having  shown  the  ground  for '  disbelief  in  viola- 
tions of  natural  law,  we  come  to  consider  the  true 
nature  and  explanation  of  the  miracles  of  scrip- 
tural record.  We  believe  firmly  in  miracles  which 
are  accomplished  in  harmony  and  accord  with  God's 
created  laws.  For  instance,  if  the  normal  power 
of  a  human  arm,  enables  its  possessor  to  write  ten 
pages  in  an  hour,  an  increase  of  that  power  which 
would  produce  twenty  pages  an  hour,  would  be  in 
the  line  of  natural  law,  and  justify  our  reason  in 
accepting  the  action  as  miraculous. 

Many  events  in  the  Old  and  New  Testaments, 
have  been  interpreted  and  arranged  to  appear  as 
miracles,  when  they  clearly  were  not ;  the  errors 
arising  from  misunderstanding  or  willful  misinter- 
pretation of  the  text.  This  has  brought  endless 
ridicule  upon  the  Holy  Book,  subjecting  it  to  venom 
of  attack;  and  has  been  a  prolific  source  of  unbe- 
lief in  the  Word  of  God.  If,  however,  we  explain 
and  understand  the  scriptural  records  of  miracles 
rightly,  discovering  them  to  be  reasonable  and  great 
spiritual  lessons,  instead  of  vidlations  and  impossi- 
bilities, the  efiect  upon  human  souls,  is  precisely 
the  reverse.  This  is  the  true  power  and  purpose 
of  the  Word  of  God.     The  so  called  miracles  are, 


Miracles  i" 

in  reality,  spiritual  teaching^,  simple  and  compre- 
hensible to  human  understanding,  and  intended  to 
lead  the  soul  which  seeks  knowledge,  to  God,  the 
source  of  all  knowledge. 

THE   BUSH  OF  MOS^ 

In  the  third  Chapter  of  Exodus,  it  is  recorded 
that  God  appeared  to  Moses  in  a  bush,  which, 
though  burning,  was  not  consumed.  In  the  Mo- 
hammedan scriptures,  God  appears  to  Moses  in  a 
tree,  which  is  neither  above  nor  below,  before  nor 
behind,  neither  to  the  right  nor  to  the  left.  Chris- 
tians and  Mohammedans  alike,  explain  this  state- 
ment by  saying  ' '  Nothing  is  impossible  with  God, 
it  was  a  miracle." 

The  scriptures  abound  in  parables,  illustrations 
and  symbols.  At  the  time  of  Moses,  symbolical 
writing  was  universal.  In  order  to  explain  to  the 
Israelites,  how  God  had  appeared  to  him,  Moses 
used  the  "bush"  as  a  figure  of  speech  to  represent 
his  heart.  The  symbol  is  a  perfect  one.  As  many 
branches  spring  from  the  bush  rooted  in  the  earth, 
so,  from  the  heart,  spring  the  arteries  and  veins 
which  run  through  the  body.  Therefore,  God  ap- 
peared to  Moses  in  his  heart,  in  the  form  of  fire. 
"  Fire  "  is  the  symbol  of  the  spirit  of  God,  and  of 
His  love  toward  His  creatures ;  and  as  every. symbol 
has  two  points,  positive  and  negative,  so  "fire" 
means  sometimes  "love"  and  sometimes  "hatred." 

As  it  is  written,  "  No  one  can  see  God  and  live," 
because  man  cannot  stand  the  glorious  and  majestic 


112  Miracles. 

appearance  of  the  Creator,  it  is  therefore  necessary 
that  He,  from  His  love  and  mercy  toward  us,  should 
give  us,  by  that  spirit  of  love,  "fire," — the  power 
and  strength  to  stand  His  majestic  appearance  and 
not  die. 

We  read  throughout  the  Bible,  that  when  God 
appeared  to  His  prophets  and  messengers,  Isaiah, 
Ezekiel,  Zechariah,  Daniel  and  others,  they  fell 
upon  their  faces  as  if  dead,  until  God,  in  His  mercy, 
gave  unto  them  the  "fire,"  the  spirit  of  love,  to 
strengthen  them  before  His  presence.  So  the  mean- 
ing of  the  appearance  of  God  in  the  bush,  to  Moses, 
symbolizes  the  presence  of  God  in  the  heart  of 
Moses,  which  was  strengthened  by  the  fire  of  His 
loving  spirit,  and  not  consumed.  The  tree,  in  the 
Mohammedan  scriptures,  is  the  same  symbol  of  the 
heart,  for  the  heart  is  neither  above  nor  below,  be- 
hind nor  before,  neither  to  the  right  side,  nor  to 
the  left. 

THE  STICK  OP  MOSES  AND   AARON. 

In  scripture,  a  prophet,  messenger,  or  teacher  of 
the  truth,  is  often  symbolized  as  a  shepherd.  As 
a  shepherd  of  flocks  must  have  a  stick,  so  the 
teacher  or  prophet  must  have  a  rod  or  stick,  to 
direct  his  flocks.  The  stick  of  the  teacher  is  the 
"power  of  logic,"  the  "power  of  conviction,"  be- 
stowed upon  him  by  God,  that  he  may  be  able  to 
lead  his  flocks  in  the  way  of  truth.  When  God 
appointed  Moses  as  the  prophet  and  spiritual  shep- 
herd of  Israel,  He  delivered  to  him  the  power 
or  talent  of  proving  the  truth  of  his  message 


Miracles.  113 

to  the  people,  that  they  might  be  convinced 
and  turn  to  the  face  of  their  God  and  Creator.  To 
show  that  "stick"  or  "rod"  symbolizes  the  power 
of  proving  the  truth,  we  quote  from  Ezekiel  31, 
9-10,  "a  sword  is  sharpened,  and  also  furbished;  it 
is  sharpened  to  make  a  sore  slaughter ;  it  is  fur- 
bished that  it  may  glitter ;  should  we  then  make 
mirth?  It  contemneth  the  rod  of  my  Son  as  every 
tree." 

The  original  translation  of  this  passage,  reads 
"The  rod  of  my  Son,  it  contemneth  every  stick." 
The  meaning  conveyed  by  Ezekiel,  is,  that  the 
power  of  argument  and  conviction,  of  the  Son  of 
God,  is  greater  and  higher  than  any  other  power 
of  argument.  * 'Sword,"  or  the  "stick  of  iron," 
which  is  usually  rendered  into  English  as  "rod  of 
iron,"  denotes  the  power  of  argument  and  convic- 
tion of  the  teachings  of  God  Himself,  as  we  see  in 
Revelations  1-16  "And  He  had  in  His  right  hand 
seven  stars ;  and  out  of  His  mouth  went  a  sharp 
two-edged  sword."  Also  in  Revelations  12-5  "And 
she  brought  forth  a  man-child  who  was  to  rule  all 
nations  with  a  rod  of  iron."  Thus  we  see  that 
"stick,"  "rod"  and  "sword"  are  synonymous  terms 
denoting  the  power  of  the  truth,  and  therefore  the 
"rod"  or  "stick"  of  Moses,  was  the  power  of  ar- 
gument possessed  by  him  to  prove  the  truth  of  his 
message. 

God  also  gave  Moses,  purity  of  heart  and  love 
for  his  fellow-creatures.  We  read  that  God  com- 
manded him  to  put  his  hand  into  his  bosom,  as  a 
sign,  and  that  when  he  withdrew  it,  the  hand  had 


114  Miracles. 

become  white,  symbolizing^  the  purity  of  his  heart. 

Moses  and  Aaron  went  in  unto  Pharaoh. 
"Aaron  cast  down  his  rod  before  Pharaoh  and  be- 
fore his  servants,  and  it  became  a  serpent. " 

Pharaoh  then  summoned  the  wise  men  and 
sorcerers  of  his  kingdom,  that  is  to  say,  the  priests, 
in  order  that  they  might  argue  the  truth  with 
Moses  and  Aaron.  The  wise  men  cast  down  their 
rods,  which  likewise  became  serpents,  but  the 
serpent  of  Aaron  swallowed  up  their  serpents. 
The  rods  or  sticks  symbolize  the  power  of  argu- 
ment, which,  when  laid  down,  became  wisdom; 
for  the  symbol  of  a  serpent  is  and  always  has  been 
used  to  denote  wisdom.  Christ  said  "be  ye  wise 
as  serpents."  Before  Pharaoh,  Moses  and  Aaron 
displayed  greater  power  of  argument  and  wisdom, 
which  swallowed  up  the  wisdom  of  the  priests  of 
Egypt. 

JONAH   AND   THE   WHALE. 

The  terms  "mountain"  and  "hill,"  are  used  in 
the  scriptures,  to  symbolize  a  "ruler"  or  a  "king." 
When  the  ruler  or  king  is  a  tyrannous  one,  he  is 
represented  by  a  "whale."  In  Ezekiel  35-2,  we 
read,  "Son  of  man,  set  thy  face  against  Mount  Seir 
and  prophesy  against  it  and  say  unto  it,"  etc.  In 
the  verses  which  follow,  it  is  evident  that  Mount 
Seir  denotes  a  ruler,  for  instance,  the  5th  verse, 
"Because  thou  hast  had  a  perpetual  hatred  and 
hast  shed  the  blood  of  the  children  of  Israel  by  the 
force  of  the  sword." 

In  Ezekiel  32-2,  the  symbol  of  "whale"  is  used 


Miracles.  115 

to  designate  the  tyrannous  Pharaoh.  "Son  of 
man,  take  up  the  lamentation  for  Pharaoh  king  of 
Egypt,  and  say  unto  him,  Thou  art  like  a  young 
lion  of  the  nations,  and  thou  art  as  a  whale  in  the 
seas;  and  thou  earnest  forth  with  thy  rivers,  and 
troubledst  the  waters  with  thy  feet,  and  fouledst 
their  rivers. " 

The  whale  of  Jonah  was,  therefore  a  tyrannous 
ruler  who  cast  that  prophet  into  prison,  where  he 
remained  for  a  period  of  three  days,  which  means 
three  years  ;  after  which  imprisonment,  Jonah  was 
liberated,  and  went  out  to  deliver  the  message  of 
God,  to  the  people  of  Nineveh. 

JOSHUA  COMMANDING  THE  SUN  TO  STAND  STILL. 

It  is  the  custom,  particularly  in  Oriental  coun- 
tries, to  give  leaders  and  high  personages,  such 
titles  as  the  "Sun,"  "Moon,"  "Shining  Star," 
etc  This  is  a  prevalent  custom  in  the  Western 
nations  as  well,  but  the  Oriental  people  sometimes 
g^ve  these  titles  to  great  men,  as  a  proper  name. 
When  Joshua  was  engaged  in  battle  against  the 
Amorites,  the  commander  of  the  Amorite  ■  forces 
bore  the  title  of  "The  Sun."  Joshua,  by  superior 
military  force  and  skill,  commanded  "  The  Sun  " 
to  stand  still,. that  is  to  say,  checked  his  advance 
and  attack,  until  the  Israelites  avenged  themselves 
upon,  and  overthrew  their  enemies. 

THE  TOWER  OF  BAB-EL. 

As  the  finite  cannot  comprehend  the  Infinite,  we 
find  throughout  the  history  of  the  world,  the  cease- 


ii6  Miracles. 

less  endeavor  of  man  to  comprehend  and  reach  God 
from  his  own  finite  standpoint.  In  these  present 
years,  many  are  striving  to  know  God  through  con- 
centration, or  by  the  performance  of  special  actions, 
seeking  him  according  to  their  own  ideas  and 
inventions.  Christ  taught  us  that  we  must  come 
to  God  through  "the  way,"  "the  door"  prepared 
for  us,  and  that  those  who  seek  to  come  by  the 
fences  or  windows,  are  as  "  thieves  and  robbers." 
The  interpretation  of  the  Tower  of  Bab-el  narration 
is,  therefore,  that  in  those  ancient  days,  as  in  these 
present  times,  men  were  trying  to  build  a  tower,  a 
way,  a  spiritual  structure,  by  which  to  reach  God 
and  save  themselves  ;  but  as  they  were  not  in  the 
way  of  the  truth,  but  filled  with  superstitions  and 
imaginations,  they  were  not  able  to  agree  in  their 
thoughts  and  ideas  regarding  the  method  of  finding 
God,  and  so  confusion  resulted. 

This  confusion  of  ideas,  opinions  and  imagina- 
tions concerning  the  way  of  God,  is  likened  in  the 
scriptures,  to  speaking  in  different  tongues  and  not 
being  able  to  understand  each  other.  The  name 
Bab-el  means  the  "Gate  of  God."  According  to 
Andrew  D.  White  in  "The  Warfare  of  Science 
with  Theology" — ^page  170 — "All  modern  scholars 
of  note  agree  that  this  was  the  real  significance  of 
the  name  ;  but  the  Hebrew  verb  which  signifies  '  to 
confound,'  resembles  somewhat  the  word  Bab-el, 
so  that,  out  of  this  resemblance,  by  one  of  the  most 
common  processes  in  myth  formation,  came  to  the 
Hebrew  mind  an  indisputable  proof  that  the  tower 
was  connected  with  the  confusion  of  tongues,  and 
this  became  a  part  of  our  theological  heritage." 


Miracles.  117 

THE  APOSTLES  SPEAKING  MANY  LANGUAGES. 

According  to  the  2d  Chapter  of  the  Book  of 
Acts,  the  disciples  of  Christ  were  suddenly  filled 
with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  ' '  began  to  speak  with 
other  tongues,  as  the  Spirit  gave  them  utterance  ;" 
every  man  in  the  multitude  of  listeners,  hearing 
them  speak  in  his  own  language.  Literal  belief  in 
this  record,  is  belief  in  the  violation  of  all  the 
natural  laws  which  govern  transmission  of  thought 
by  the  medium  of  language.  Christ  and  his 
followers  spoke  the  Aramaic,  the  language  of 
Palestine.  When  these  disciples  received  the 
spiritual  power  of  truth  and  utterance,  they 
spoke  it  so  strongly  and  with  such  convincing 
force,  in  the  universally  understood  Aramaic 
tongue,  that  every  one  who  heard  them, 
heard  them  according  to  his  own  understanding 
and  conviction.  The  words  and  argument  of  the 
truth,  appealed  directly  to  all,  and  each  one  under- 
stood in  his  own  language,  that  is  to  say,  the 
language  of  his  soul-needs  and  belief.  How  often 
we  have  heard  truth  in  our  own  soul-language; 
eloquence  of  truth  which  seemed  aimed  at  and 
exactly  fitted  to  our  own  needs  and  condition.  F. 
W.  Newman  in  "Phases  of  Faith" — page  179, 
says  ''Is  it  credible  that  the  Spirit  should  inspire 
one  man  to  utter  unintelligible  sounds,  and  a 
second  to  interpret  these,  and  then  give  the  assem- 
bly endless  trouble  to  find  out  whether  the  inter- 
pretation was  pretense  or  reality,  when  the  whole 
difficulty  was  gratuitous?" 


ii8  Miracles. 

•   CHRIST  CHANGING  WATER  INTO  WINE. 

According  to  the  second  chapter  of  the  Gospel  of 
John,  the  mother  of  Jesus  came  to  him  at  a  wed- 
ding feast  in  Cana,  Galilee,  saying,  "They  have  no 
wine,"  suggesting  the  miracle  which  is  said  to 
have  followed.  If  we  accept  this  account  literally, 
the  reply  of  Jesus  to  Mary,  his  mother,  "  Woman 
what  have  I  to  do  with  thee  ?  "  is  a  serious  blow  to 
our  estimate  of  the  Christ  character.  This  appel- 
lation and  style  of  address  is,  especially  in  Oriental 
countries,  a  most  disrespectful  one,  and  impossible 
to  believe  concerning  Christ,  whose  reverence  for 
his  mother,  in  all  other  scriptural  record,  is  partic- 
ularly marked.  Again,  Christ's  statement,  "  mine 
hour  is  not  yet  come,"  bears  further  evidence  of 
error. in  the  record,  for  immediately  afterward,  it  is 
said,  he  called  the  servants  and  changed  water 
into  wine,  proving  beyond  question,  that  his  time 
had  come.  Overlooking  these  significant  points  in 
the  question  of  fact  and  authenticity  of  happening, 
however,  and  the  certain  evidence  of  addition  to  the 
text,  let  us  explain  the  reputed  miracle  itself  It 
was  the  custom,  in  Oriental  countries,  at  weddings, 
funerals  and  feasts,  to  invite  spiritual  teachers,  who 
expounded  scriptural  texts  and  delivered  addresses 
to  the  company  present. 

This  custom  prevails  to  the  present  day,  in 
Syria,  Egypt  and  Turkey.  Among  the  Moham- 
medans, texts  and  expositions  from  the  Koran,  are 
a  part  of  the  wedding  festivities.  Christ  had  been 
summoned  by  the  master  of  the  wedding  feast  at 


Miracles.  "9 

Cana,  to  entertain  and  instruct  the  assembly  with 
his  spiritual  teaching.  Other  teachers  and  priests 
had  been  invited  for  the  same  purpose.  "Water," 
"wine"  and  "blood,"  in  Scriptural  symbolism, 
denote  spiritual  teachings. 

After  the  teachers  who  preceded  him,  had 
finished  giving  the  wedding  guests  spiritual  drink, 
symbolized  by  the  wine,  Christ,  the  Great  Master, 
gave  them  the  strong  wine  of  his  truth,  until  the 
Governor  of  the  feast  "called  the  bridegroom  and 
saith  unto  him,  thou  hast  kept  the  good  wine  until 
now;"  referring  by  the  comparison,  to  the  weak 
wine  of  traditions  and  superstitions  which  the 
Hebrews  believed  and  taught  in  those  days.  More 
than  that,  Christ  not  only  gave  them  the  strong 
wine  of  his  truth,  but  took  from  the  water  of  the 
other  teachings,  whatever  of  truth  was  to  be  found 
in  them,  and  changed  that  water  into  wine. 

THE   LOAVES   AND   FISHES. 

Christ  declared  that  he  was  the  "  Bread  of  Life;" 
and  "bread"  is  the  symbol  of  the  truth  he  taught. 
The  fish  likewise  symbolized  the  truth  and  teach- 
ings of  God.  In  some  of  the  ancient  religions,  God 
was  represented  as  half  man,  half  fish.  In  the  Cata- 
combs of  Rome,  rude  sketches  of  the  fish,  may  still 
be  foilnd,  representing  Christian  truth.  Christ 
taught  the  multitude,  that  is,  he  gave  them  spiritual 
food  of  bread  and  fishes,  morfe  than  they  could  com- 
prehend or  digest.  His  twelve  disciples,  however, 
those  near  to  him^  able  to  receive  and  comprehend 


I20  Miracles. 

what  the  multitude  could  not,  gathered  up  from 
the  remains  of  the  spiritual  food,  twelve  baskets 
full. 

THE  DEVII.S  AND  SWINE. 

Since  no  personalized  power  of  evil,  working 
against  God  the  Creator,  can  exist,  "devil"  or 
*' Satan"  must  be  terms  of  expression  for  the 
wicked  spirit,  understanding,  or  intelligence  within 
ourselves.  According  to  the  Epistle  of  James  1-13, 
*'  Let  no  man  say  when  he  is  tempted,  I  am  tempted 
of  God,  for  God  cannot  be  tempted  with  evil,  neither 
tempteth  He  any  man  ;  but  every  man  is  tempted 
when  he  is  drawn  away  by  his  own  lust  and  en- 
ticed." 

The  miracle  attributed  to  Christ,  of  casting  out 
devils  from  the  man,  into  a  herd  of  two  thousand 
swine,  is,  for  several  reasons,  a  doubtful  record.  It 
is  a  well  known  fact  that  in  the  days  of  Christ, 
most  of  the  inhabitants  of  Palestine,  were  Hebrews, 
who  were  forbidden  to  eat  the  flesh  of  swine.  It 
was  even  considered  a  sin  against  their  law,  to  raise 
swine.  In  the  whole  of  Syria,  to-day,  we  could 
scarcely  find  two  thousand  swine,  and  their  number 
in  the  days  of  Christ,  would  be  still  less.  Again, 
if  Christ  had  destroyed  a  herd  of  two  thousand 
swine,  he  would  have  been  summoned  to  the 
courts,  and  punished  for  destruction  of  property. 
Literally,  the  record  is  far  too  incredible  even  for  a 
miracle,  whereas  the  real  interpretation  of  Christ's 
action,  is  a  strong  spiritual  lesson. 

The  intention  of  the  teaching,  therefore,  is  to 
show  that  Christ,  finding  a  man  possessed  with  evil 


Miracles.  121 

desires  and  the  devils  of  his  own  wicked  thinking, 
taught  him,  set  him  straight,  drove  these  devils  out 
of  his  mind,  and  in  their  place,  left  the  strength 
and  peace  of  the  Christ  truth,  until  we  find  him 
sitting,  '*  Clothed  and  in  his  right  mind."  As 
those  who  are  not  believers,  and  who  have  not 
received  spiritual  teachings,  were  symbolized  by 
Christ  as  "swine,"  when  he  said  "Cast  not  your 
pearls  before  swine,"  so  the  evil  spirits  or  devils 
which  he  had  driven  out  of  the  man,  by  his  words 
of  truth,  were  left  to  the  wicked  and  unbelieving 
and  not  to  a  real  herd  of  two  thousand  swine. 


RAISING  OF  LAZARUS. 

It  is  obvious,  that  the  messages  delivered  to  us 
by  the  servants  and  prophets  of  God,  were  intended 
to  teach  us  spiritually,  not  materially.  This  prin- 
ciple is  particularly  ignored  in  these  days,  by  the 
increased  tendency  to  give  the  scriptures  material 
interpretation.  If  we  study  carefully,  the  words  of 
Christ,  we  will  find  that  he  spoke  of  spiritual  death 
continually,  and  seldom,  if  ever,  spoke  of  death  in 
a  material  sense.  When  one  of  his  disciples  begged 
permission  from  him  to  bury  his  father,  Christ 
answered  "  Let  the  dead  bury  their  dead, "  meaning, 
let  those  who  are  spiritually  dead,  those  whose  time 
is  not  occupied  with  their  spiritual  welfare,  attend 
to  the  burial,  and  implying  that  the  disciple,  like 
Christ  himself,  must  devote  his  time  to  spreading 
the  gospel.  In  John  5-24,  "  He  that  heareth  my 
word  and  believeth  on  Him  that  sent  me,  hath 
eternal  life,  and  cometh  not  into  judgment,  but  hath 


122  Miracles. 

passed  out  of  death  into  life."  Also  in  John  8-52, 
"  If  a  man  keep  my  saying,  he  shall  never  taste 
of  death. "  These  are  teachings  of  Christ,  concern- 
ing spiritual  death.  The  unbeliever,  not  being  born 
of  the  spirit,  is  dead,  while  the  believer,  like  the 
disciple  whom  he  prevented  from  burying  his 
father,  is  spiritually  alive.  From  this  we  learn, 
that  Christ  has  raised  from  death,  all  who  believe 
in  the  truth  he  taught,  and  that  he  raised  none 
from  physical  death.  There  can  be  no  raising  of  a 
material  body  from  death,  for  it  is  against  all  the 
natural  laws  of  God,  which  govern  life  and  death. 
The  correct  interpretation  of  the  record  of  Lazarus, 
is,  that  after  receiving  the  teachings  of  Jesus,  he 
became  a  backslider,  and  talked  bitterly  against 
the  truth.  This  is  what  is  meant  by  his  being 
dead,  and  in  a  state  of  corruption.  It  was  spiritual 
death  and  corruption,  not  material,  for  Christ  him- 
self said  to  the  sister  of  Lazarus,  "  He  is  not  dead." 

Christ  therefore  went  to  him  and  taught  him 
back  to  spiritual  life  in  the  true  faith.  Much  of 
the  accessory  narration  has  been  supplied  to  sup- 
port the  idea  that  Christ  performed  a  miracle. 

We  know  that  he  did  perform  some  cases  of 
physical  healing,  as,  for  instance,  the  daughter  of 
Jairus.  He  said  of  her,  as  he  said  of  Lazarus,  that 
she  was  'J  not  dead,"  and  therefore  did  not  raise  her 
from' material  death. 

THE  STAR  OF   BETHLEHEM. 

In  the  second  Chapter  of  Matthew,  it  is  stated 
that  certain  wise  men,  beholding  a  star  appear  in 


Miracles.  123 

the  East,  traveled  to  Jerusalem,  made  inquiries 
there,  then  followed  the  star  to  Bethelem,  where 
it  stood  over  the  infant  Jesus.  Here  again  we  find 
a  record  which  is,  if  taken  literally,  a  violation  of 
the  laws  of  God,  and  an  impossibility,  as  it  neces- 
sitated the  creation  and  extinction  of  a  planet ;  to 
say  nothing  of  attendant  incongruity  of  happening, 
such  as  the  local  movement  of  the  newly  created 
planet  and  its  stopping  over  a  stable.  "Star"  de- 
notes a  spiritual  leader,  a  man  of  learning  and 
renown,  just  as  we  say  a  "star"  has  appeared  in 
this  or  that  country.  The  *'wise  men"  were  the 
disciples  and  followers  of  some  noted  spiritual 
leader  or '  'star. ' '  These  wise  disciples  learned  from 
him,  that  a  child  of  renown  was  to  be  born  in  the 
land  of  Judea.  They  traveled  to  Jerusalem,  the 
great  center  of  Judea,  where  their  master  left  them 
and  sought  from  shepherds,  the  place  of  the  child's 
birth.  Shepherd  means  in  scripture,  a  spiritual 
leader.  God  Himself  said  He  is  our  "shepherd." 
Receiving  from  spiritual  men  or  shepherds,  in 
Jerusalem,  the  necessary  information,  the  master 
returned  to  his  disciples,  led  them  to  Bethlehem 
and  stood  over  the  place  where  Jesus  lay. 

All  the  miracles  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments, 
can  be  be  similarly  explained  and  interpreted,  to 
teach  us  spiritual  truth.  The  halo  of  supernatural 
and  miracjilous  performance  with  which  the  records 
are  invested,  is  'the  outcome  of  superstition  and 
imagination,  which,  ever  since  the  world  began, 
have  obscured  the  pure  light  of  God's  truth. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THE  RETURN  OF  THE  SOUI,. 

Scripture,  science  ^nd  pHlosopliy  clearly  prove 
the  impossibility  of  the  resurrection  of  the  body. 
The  souls  return  to  earth  in  new  and  different 
bodies,  however,  is  demonstrable  from  the  light  of 
all  inquiry.  Furthermore,  it  can  be  shown  that 
this  is  the  true  resurrection  of  Scripture.  Under 
no  other  hypothesis  or  belief,  can  soul  conditions 
and  environment  be  explained.  Resurrection  of 
the  same  body  is  impossible,  for  the  following 
reasons : — 

First.  It  is  against  the  law  which  governs  the 
coming  of  souls  upon  the  earth.  Under  this  law, 
each  soul  must  take  for  its  habitation,  a  material 
body,  formed  through  the  natural  process  of  repro- 
duction. This  body,  house,  or  tent,  cannot  be  made 
otherwise,  therefore,  if  the  soul  returns  again  to 
earth,  it  must  take  the  flesh  according  to  the  law 
ordained  for  that  purpose. 

It  is  unreasonable  to  believe  that  after  a  house 
has  been  destroyed  by  fire,  it  can  be  rebuilt  with 
the  same  materials  which  once  composed  it.  By 
taking  fresh  materials  and  repeating  the  process  of 
construction,  another  house  resembling  the  original, 
can  be  built.  Similarly,  after  death,  the  body  is 
decomposed  by  a  slower  process  of  combustion  than 
the  fire  which  destroyed  the  house,  but  it  is  just  as 

125 


126  Tlie  Return  of  the  Soul. 

impossible  to  reconstruct  the  body  from  its  original 
material  ingredients,  as  it  is  to  duplicate  the  house 
from  its  original  materials.  Therefore,  if  the  soul 
returns,  as  we  are  taught  and  can  prove  that  it  does, 
a  pew  body  must  be  provided  for  its  occupancy. 

Second.  According  to  the  doctrine  of  the  resur- 
rection of  the  body,  we  shall  live  eternally  in  the 
spiritual  realms,  as  souls,  re-Occupying  our  material 
bodies.  This  belief  is  contrary  to  Scripture,  I 
Corinthians  15-50.  "  Now  this  I  say  brethren,  that 
flesh  and.  blood  cannot  inherit  the  Kingdom  of 
God  ;  neither  doth  corruption  inherit  incorruption." 
It  is  likewise  contrary  to  science,  which  teaches  us 
that  tnaterial  composition  cannot  be  perfect,  unless 
it  can  be  decomposed  ;  and  if  our  bodies,  which  we 
know  to  be  material  compositions,  shall  rise  to  live 
in  a  spiritual  hereafter,  they  will  be  subject  to 
decomposition.  It  follows,  then,  that  according  to 
scientific  reasoning,  there  would  be  death  and  cor- 
ruption in  Heaven.  To  meet  this  conclusion,  the 
explanation  is  made  that  our  bodies  will  be  raised 
and  spiritualized  at  the  resurrection  day,  and  so 
there  will  be  no  more  decomposition  or  death. 
This  is  illogical  and  false  doctrine,  because  it  is  an 
established  fact  that  matter  cannot  be  transformed 
into  intelligent  essence,  for  the  unchangeable  law 
of  God,  is,  that  every  essence  is  endowed  with 
inherent,  inseparable  and  perpetual  qualities  which 
are  necessary  for  its  eternal  existence.  God  is 
absolute' perfection  and  unchangeable.  Spiritual- 
izing our  material  bodies  would  be  directly  against 
His  perfection  and  the  perfection  of  His  actions, 
which  cannot  be. 


The  Return  of  the  Soul.  127 

Third.  We  know,  that  after  the  dissolution  of 
the  body,  the  material  elements  of  which  it  is  com- 
posed, return  to  the  earth  and  atmosphere,  from 
whence,  by  natural  process  of  growth,  they  enter 
into  the  composition  of  other  living  forms  such  as 
grasses,  grains,  vegetables,  etc.  These  living  forms, 
in  turn,  die  and  decompose.  From  them,  still 
other  forms  are  nourished,  and  the  process  of  assim- 
ilating these  material  elements  is  repeated.  Animals 
feed  upon  these  grasses  and  herbs ;  human  beings 
subsist  upon  fruits,  grains  and  the  flesh  of  animals. 
We  find,  therefore,  that  the  same  atoms  of  material 
substances,  in  the  course  of  time,  have  entered  into 
and  composed  the  bodies  of  different  human 
beings.  Now,  if,  at  the  day  of  resurrection,  these 
bodies  are  to  be  raised  in  their  original  forms,  it 
will  be  found  that  the  same  atoms  have  entered 
into  the  composition  of  many  different  bodies,  and 
confusion  must  result,  since  there  will  be  many 
claimants  for  the  same  atoms  and  there  can  be  no 
possible  solution  of  the  question  "to  whom  do 
these  atoms  belong?"  The  only  precaution  against 
this  state  of  affairs,  would  be  a  law  from  the  Cre- 
ative Mind,  apportioning  a  certain  amount  of 
material  substance  to  each  human  body,  which, 
having  been  used  in  that  body,  would  be  set  aside 
for  its  rehabilitation  at  the  resurrection  day,  a  sup- 
position manifestly  ridiculous,  impossible,  and  vio- 
lating all  fact  and  .reason.  The  resurrection 
mentioned  in  the  Scriptures,  is  the  return  of  the 
soul  in  new  and  different  bodies.  This  is  the  true 
spirit  and  intention  of  Scriptural  teaching,  for  the 
following  reasons : — 


128  The  Return  of  the  Soul. 

First.  As  already  shown  in  a  preceding  chapter, 
"  soul "  or  "  intellectuality,"  is  not  the  result  of  the 
composition  of  material  elements,  but  is  separate 
and  distinct  from  the  body  in  which  it  lives  and 
manifests  itself  It  is  a  scientific  truth  that  the 
body,  in  its  elementary  ingredients,  existed  before 
it  was  formed  into  that  material  composition  and 
connected  with  the  soul.  We  must  therefore  con- 
clude, that  the  soul  likewise  existed  before  it 
became  connected  with  the  body.  If  the  soul 
existed  before  this  connection,  and  as  the  mode  of 
connection  between  soul  and  body  is  the  natural 
and  everlasting  law  of  birth  from  parents,  then  the 
soul,  in  coming  again  to  take  a  body,  as  the  Scrip- 
tures teach,  must  come  in  the  same  way  it  fi.rst 
came,  through  the  process  of  birth.  This  is  the 
true  return,  re-birth,  re-embodiment,  re-incarnation 
of  the  soul,  or  as  the  Scriptures  designate  it,  "  The 
Resurrection  of  the  Body." 

Second.  As  the  actions  of  the  Creator  are 
founded  upon  infinitely  wise  purpose,  therefore  the 
existence  of  the  human  race  upon  this  earth,  em- 
bodies His  wisdom  of  purpose.  Where  there  is  In- 
finite Wisdom,  there  must  be  Infinite  Justice.  It  is 
therefore  necessary,  that  all  human  souls  must 
have  suflBcient  time  and  opportunity  for  the  accom- 
plishment of  the  purpose  of  their  existence  here. 
We  know  however,  that  under  the  workings  of 
natural  laws,  many  souls  which  take  up  their 
residence  in  bodies,  are  compelled  to  leave  them 
before  they  have  had  sufficient  opportunity  to  ac- 
complish their  purpose,  as  in  the  cases  of  infants, 
the  insane,  idiots,  etc. 


The  Return  of  the  Soul.  129 

It  has  been,  and  still  is  the  belief  of  many,  that 
the  souls  of  children  and  infants,  after  death  of  the 
body,  are  cast  into  "hell"  or  punishment.  It  has 
been  maintained  that  "hell"  is  paved  with  the 
skulls  of  infants.  Others  believe  and  teach  that 
the  souls  of  infants  and  children  pass  into  heaven 
or  an  eternal  reward,  after  their  short  and  irre- 
sponsible experience  here.  Neither  of  these  views 
is  reconcilable  or  consistent  with  the  Infinite 
Justice  of  God,  for,  if  God  should  ordain  that  the 
soul  of  an  infant  should  pass  into  an  eternity  of 
reward,  His  action  would  be  a  gross  injustice  and 
wrong  to  souls  which  reach  their  maturity  of  ex- 
istence here.  If  God  should  so  discriminate  in 
favor  of  the  infant  soul  which  departed  before  it. 
had  an  opportunity  to  sin,  other  souls  which  He 
had  allowed  to  remain  a  long  time  upon  the  earth, 
committng  sins  and  iniquities,  could  protest 
against  the  injustice  of  God,  for  His  unequal  treat- 
ment of  His  creatures. 

If,  on  the  other  hand,  God  should  commit  an 
infant  soul  to  punishment  and  doom,  that  infant 
soul  would  have  the  right  to  protest,  since,  not 
having  reached  its  maturity  of  understanding,  it 
had  not  been  given  the  opportunity  afforded  to 
souls  which  lived  here  longer.  Thus,  we  see  that 
neither  punishment  nor  reward  of  irresponsible 
souls  such  as  infants,  idiots,  insane,  etc.,  is  in  ac- 
cord with  the  justice  of  God,  which  must  be  ad- 
mitted to  exist  in  perfection.  There  is  but  one 
other  course  possible;  it  is  necessary  that  such 
souls  should  remain  in  the  spiritual  realms,  await- 


I30  The  Return  of  the  Soul. 

ing  another  opportunity  of  coming  to  the  earth, 
of  taking  new  bodies,  reaching  their  maturity  of 
understanding  and  responsibility,  and  accomplish- 
ing or  failing  to  accomplish  the  purpose  of  their 
earthly  existence.  God  will,  therefore,  in  His 
justice,  give  to  infants,  idiots,  etc.,  other  oppor- 
tunities, by  allowing  them  to  re-incarnate. 

Third.  It  is  evident  that  the  soul  of  man,  dur- 
ing its  imprisonment  in  this  house  of  clay,  has  the 
liberty  of  ill-using  the  gifts  God  has  bestowed  upon 
it.  Influenced  by  the  desires  and  temptations  of 
the  world,  man  forgets  his  duty  toward  his  Creator, 
and  passes  into  the  spiritual  realm  without  accom- 
plishing the  great  purpose  of  his  coming  here. 
Where  there  is  Infinite  Wisdom,  there  is  Infinite 
Justice.  Where  there  is  Infinite  Justice,  there  is 
Infinite  Love  and  Infinite  Mercy.  Therefore,  if 
God  in  His  Love  and  Mercy,  allows  that  soul  an- 
other opportunity  of  coming  again  to  earth,  to  re- 
trieve its  wasted  opportunity,  it  is  necessary  for 
that  soul  to  re-incarnate,  re-embody  itself  in  the 
natural  process  of  birth. 

'Fourth.  Owing  to  the  weakness  and  ignorance 
of  man,  and  the  various  conditions  of  environment, 
our  race  has  been  divided  into  many  nationalities 
and  classes,  difiering  from  each  other  in  position, 
state  of  progress  and  opportunity  of  development, 
such  as  high  and  low,  civilized  and  uncivilized, 
rich  and  poor,  etc.  As  the  soul  has  not  the  liberty 
or  power  to  choose  for  itself  the  place  or  condition 
of  its  coming  into  the  body,  it  is  necessary  that  the 
justice  and  mercy  of  our  Almighty  Creator,  who 


The  Return  of  the  Soul.  i$i 

controls  and  apportions  the  soul's  environment, 
shall  regulate  this  difference  in  opportunity  and 
soul  conditions,  by  incarnating  the  soul  at  different 
times,  and  in  different  places,  according  to  its  just 
deserts.  In  this  way,  and  by  His  infinite  wisdom, 
all  souls  enjoy  equal  and  full  privilege  of  develop- 
ment, according  to  the  exercise  of  their  own  inde- 
pendence. As  the  soul  succeeds  or  fails  in  its 
development  during  one  incarnation,  it  is  assisted 
or  hampered  by  the  opportunities  or  obstacles  of 
its  next  environment ;  upon  the  soul  that  has  pro- 
gressed, God  bestows  advantages  of  time,  place  or 
condition  ;  upon  the  soul  that  retrogrades  in  prog- 
ress and  understanding,  the  burden  of  its  own 
record  is  laid  in  the  corresponding  difficulties  of 
its  next  period  of  earthly  existence.  For  the  just 
dispensation  of  opportunities  to  all,  the  return  of 
the  soul  is  therefore  necessary. 

In/ih.  On  account  of  the  failure  and  neglect  by 
man,  of  his  own  will  and  understanding,  to  seek 
God,  and  accomplish  his  purpose  upon  earth,  God 
has  sent,  at  intervals,  throughout  all  ages  and 
races,  holy  souls,  shepherds  or  prophets,  to  teach 
man,  the  Way,  the  Truth  and  the  Life.  These 
messengers  of  God,  have  been  born  in  the  flesh,  ac- 
cording to  the  natural  law  of  all  mankind,  although 
it  was  not  necessary  for  them,  in  some  cases,  to 
come  again  upon  earth,  they  having  fulfilled  their 
duties,  in  a  previous  incarnation. 

Sixth.  The  return  of  the  soul  is  taught  through- 
out the  Holy  Scriptures.  Numbers  24-17 — "  I  shall 
see  Him  but  not  now ;  I  shall  behold  Him  but  not 


132  The  Return  of  the  Soul. 

nigh.  There  shall  come  a  Star  out  of  Jacob  and  a 
Sceptre  shall  rise  out  of  Israel  and  shall  smite  the 
corners  of  Moab  and  destroy  all  the  children  of 
Sheth."  This  is  an  utterance  by  the  prophet 
Balaam,  the  son  of  Beor,  concerning  the  coming 
of  Shiloh,  the  incarnation  of  Deity;  at  which  time, 
Balaam  himself,  will  come  upon  the  earth  and  be- 
hold Him. 

Job  19-25  to  27  :  *'  For  I  know  that  my  redeemer 
liveth,  and  that  He  shall  stand  at  the  latter  day 
upon  the  earth ;  and  though  after  my  skin  worms 
destroy  this  body,  yet  in  my  flesh  shall  I  see  God  ; 
whom  I  shall  see  for  myself,  and  mine  eyes  shall 
behold,  and  not  another;  though  my  reins  be  con- 
sumed within  me." 

This  prophet  also  promised  to  be  upon  the  earth 
in  the  flesh,  at  the  time  of  the  appearance  of  God 
the  Redeemer  of  our  race,  and  that  with  his  own 
eyes,  he  should  see  Him.  These  are  plain  scriptu- 
ral teachings  of  the  soul's  return  in  new  bodies. 

Psalms  90-3 :  * '  Thou  turnest  man  to  destruction  ; 
and  sayest  Return,  ye  children  of  men."  Psalms 
104-29,  "  Thou  hidest  Thy  face,  they  are  troubled ; 
Thou  takest  away  their  breath,  they  die,  and  return 
to  their  dust.  Thou  sendest  forth  Thy  spirit,  they 
are  created ;  and  Thou  renewest  the  face  of  the 
earth."  Also  Isaiah  26-19:  "Thy  dead  men  shall 
live,  together  with  my  dead  body  shall  they  arise. 
Awake  and  sing,  ye  that  dwell  in  the  dust ;  for  thy 
dew  is  as  the  dew  of  herbs,  and  the  earth  shall  cast 
out  the  dead."  All  these  are  plain  teachings  of  re- 
embodiment. 


The  Return  of  the  Soul.  i33 

Isaiah  24-23  :  "  Then  the  moon  shall  be  con- 
founded and  the  sun  ashamed,  when  the  Lord  of 
hosts  shall  reign  in  Mount  Zion  and  in  Jerusalem 
and  before  His  ancients  gloriously." 

Here  is  a  clear  prophecy  that  God  is  to  appear  in 
the  flesh,  as  a  man,  and  rule  "  in  Zion  and  in  Jeru- 
salem before  his  ancients  gloriously."  Who  are  "his 
ancients  "  ?  They  are  the  prophets  and  the  saints 
who  were  promised  to  be  present  with  Him  in  His 
appearance,  as  we  have  read  in  Job  and  in  Num- 
bers. His  ancients  are  His  saints  who  are  men- 
tioned in  the  epistle  of  Jude,  i-i 4:  "And  Enoch 
also,  the  seventh  from  Adam,  prophesied  of  these 
saying,  behold  the  Lord  cometh  with  ten  thousands 
of  His  saints."  This  corresponds  with  what  Christ 
prophesied  in  St.  Luke,  13-28:  "There  shall 
be  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth,  when  ye  shall 
see  Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob,  and  all  the  proph- 
ets in  the  Kingdom  of  God,  and  you,  your- 
selves thrust  out."  Also  the  29th  verse,  "And  they 
shall  come  from  the  east,  and  from  the  west,  and 
from  the  north,  and  from  the  south,  and  shall  sit 
down  in  the  Kingdom  of  God."  All  these  show 
plainly,  that  when  God  comes  to  establish  His 
Kingdom  upon  the  earth,  all  the  prophets  and  saints 
are  promised  to  be  with  Him.  Christ,  our  Great 
Master,  said  that  he  would  come  and  renew  the  cup 
with  his  disciples.  Matthew,  26-29:  '*But  I  say 
unto  you,  I  will  not  drink  henceforth  of  this  fruit 
of  the  vine,  until  that  day  when  I  drink  it  new 
with  you  in  my  Father's  kingdom."  If  God  and 
His  saints  are  ,to  come  upon  the  earth  spiritually, 


134  The  Return  of  tlie  Soul. 

as  some  people  understand  and  explain,  their  com- 
ing will  be  of  no  use  to  humanity,  for  they  will  not 
be  visible.  Furthermore,  it  is  illogical  to  say  that 
God  will  come  spiritually,  when  He  is  spiritually 
omnipresent.  If  His  kingdom  is  to  be  established 
upon  earth,  it  must  necessarily  be  a  visible  earthly 
kingdom.  If  otherwise,  Christ  would  not  have 
said  "they  will  come  from  the  east  and  the  west, 
from  the  north  and  from  the  south."  There  are  no 
points  of  the  compass  in  the  spiritual  realms. 
Again,  he  would  not  have  said  that  he  would  re- 
new the  cup  with  his  disciples,  since  it  is  evident 
that  there  can  be  no  eating  or  drinking  in  an  ex- 
istence that  is  spiritual.  It  is  clear,  therefore, 
from  the  words  of  the  prophets,  and  especially 
from  those  of  Christ,  that  the  Kingdom  to  come, 
is  to  be  a  visible  Kingdom,  and  as  they  are  to 
be  present  in  it,  their  souls  must  return  in  the 
flesh.  According  to  Daniel,  12-2:  "And  many 
of  them  that  sleep  in  the  dust  of  the  earth, 
shall  awake,  some  to  everlasting  life,  and  some  to 
shame  and  everlasting  contempt ; "  also  13th  verse, 
"But  go  thou  thy  way  till  the  end  be  ;  for  thou 
shalt  rest,  and  stand  in  thy  lot  at  the  end  of  the 
days."  Ezekiel  37-12:  "Thus  saith  the  Lord  God: 
behold,  oh  my  people,  I  will  open  your  graves  and 
cause  you  to  come  up  out  of  your  graves,  and  bring 
you  into  the  land  of  Israel."  13th  verse,  "  And  ye 
shall  know  that  I  am  the  Lord  when  I  have  opened 
your  graves,  oh  my  people,  and  brought  you  up 
out  of  your  graves."  14th  verse,  "And  shall  put 
My  spirit  in  you  and  ye  shall  live,  and  I  shall  place 


The  Return  of  the  Soul.  135 

you  in  your  own  land  ;  then  shall  ye  know  that  I 
the  Lord  have  spoken  it,  and  performed  it,  saith 
the  Lord."  Isaiah,  26-19:  ''Thy  dead  men  shall 
live,  together  with  my  dead  body  shall  they  arise. 
Awake  and  sing,  ye  that  dwell  in  dust ;  for  thy 
dew  is  as  the  dew  of  herbs,  and  the  earth  shall 
cast  out  the  dead."  According  to  the  new  trans- 
lation of  Isaiah,  by  Prof.  Cheyne,  page  156, — in 
explanation  of  this  verse,  ''The  late  Hebrew  for 
the  Resurrection,  is  't'khiyyath  hammethim,' the 
*  revival  of  the  dead.'  "  This  exactly  expresses  the 
fact,  that  resurrection,  as  taught  in  the  Scriptures, 
means  revival  of  the  dead,  that  is  to  say,  the  return 
and  subsequent  incarnation  of  the  soul. 

Seventh.  The  words  of  Christ,  according  to  the 
Gospel  of  John,  8-58,  were,  "  Verily,  verily,  I  say 
unto  you,  before  Abraham  was,  I  am."  Whether 
we  consider  that  he  existed  before  Abraham,  in  the 
flesh  or  in  the  spirit,  he  had,  according  to  his  own 
claim,  been  in  existence  before  he  was  bom  of 
Mary,  nineteen  hundred  years  ago.  Therefore, 
Christ,  our  example,  fulfilled  the  natural  laws  of 
God,  in  being  born  as  we  were  born,  and  in  his 
promised  coming,  must  return  according  to  the 
same  laws.  ^ 

Eighth.  The  return  of  the  soul  to  earth,  in  dif- 
ferent bodies,  and  subject  to  difierent  environments, 
is  a  great  blessing  and  justice  to  the  human  race, 
as  it  annuls  entirely  all  racial  inequality  and  levels 
pride  of  nationality,  by  making  us  all  of  one  race 
and  one  family. 

The  question  arises — "According  to  Scripture, 


136  The  Return  of  the  Soul. 

Christ  rose  from  the  dead  upon  the  third  day,  and 
appeared  to  his  disciples.  If  Christ  is  our  great 
example,  shall  we  not  rise  as  he  has  risen,  from 
the  grave,  in  the  flesh?"  Christ  did  not  appear  to 
his  disciples  in  his  material  body.  If  we  read  the 
record  of  Luke,  24-13,  he  appeared  to  Cleophas  and 
another,  as  they  journeyed  from  Jerusalem  to 
Emmaus.  Although  he  talked  with  them,  they 
did  not  recognize  him,  and  it  was  not  until  he 
parted  from  them,  that  they  began  to  suspect  he 
was  Christ  their  Master.  This  shows  plainly,  that 
he  did  not  appear  to  them  in  the  flesh,  but  in  a 
vision,  in  his  spiritual  body,  for  had  he  walked 
and  talked  with  them  in  the  same  body  they  knew 
so  well  before  his  crucifixion,  they  must  have 
recognized  him  instantly. 

Jt  is  clearly  evident  that  he  appeared  to  Paul 
and  others  as  well,  in  a  spiritual  body.  In  "  Phases 
of  Faith,"  page  181,  Newman  says  :  *'  He  (Paul) 
even  recounts  the  appearance  of  Christ  to  him, 
years  after  his  ascension,  as  evidence  similar  in 
kind  to  his  appearance  to  Peter  and  to  James,  and 
to  500  brethren  at  once. — I  Cor.  15-4  to  8  :  And 
that  he  (Christ)  was  buried,  and  that  he  rose  again 
th^  third  day  according  to  the  scriptures ;  and  that 
he  was  seen  of  Cephas,  then  of  the  twelve.  After 
that  he  was  seen  of  about  five  hundred  brethren 
at  once  ;  of  whom  the  greater  part  remain  unto 
this  present,  but  some  are  fallen  asleep.  After 
that  he  was  seen  of  James ;  then  of  all  the  apostles, 
and  last  of  all  he  was  seen  of  me  also."  Also 
I  Cor.  9-1  :  Paul  asks  "  have  I  not  seen  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord  ?  " 


The  Return  of  tHe  Soul.  137 

In  the  20th  Chapter  of  John,  it  is  stated,  that 
while  the  disciples  were  gathered  together  in  an 
upper  room,  the  windows  and  doors  being  shut, 
Christ  appeared  in  their  midst,  saying  ' '  Peace  be 
unto  you."  This  was  likewise  an  appearance  in 
his  spiritual  body,  for  it  is  an  unchangeable  law, 
that  two  material  substances  cannot  occupy  the 
same  place  at  the  same  time,  and  Christ's  entrance 
in  his  material  form,  through  solid  walls  or  doors, 
was  an  impossibility.  The  spiritual  body,  how- 
ever, can  penetrate  matter,  as  light  passes  through 
glass,  and  thus  the  appearance  of  the  Master  to  his 
disciples,  becomes  a  reasonable  phenomenon.  It 
is  recorded,  that  at  the  time  of  his  appearance  to 
the  disciples,  Christ  asked  Thomas  to  put  his 
fingers  in  the  nail  holes  and  spear  wound,  to  dispel 
his  doubts  as  to  the  reality  of  Christ.  Before  en- 
tering the  explanation  of  this  event,  it  is  necessary 
to  consider  a  fact  concerning  the  resurrection  of 
Christ.  As  the  highest  exponent  of  our  race,  his 
resurrection  would  be  the  pattern  and  example  of  all 
bodies  which  are  to  rise  from  the  dead,  that  is  to 
say,  we  should  rise,  as  he  did,  with  the  defects  of 
the  flesh.  If  Christ  appeared  with  the  nail  holes  in 
his  hands  and  spear  wound  in  his  side,  our  bodies 
must  rise  minus  those  parts  or  portions  of  the  flesh 
which  are  missing  at  the  time  of  death.  This  con- 
clusion is  inevitable.  If  therefore,  a  man  has  lost 
an  eye,  he  shall  appear  as  a  resurrected  body  with 
but  one  eye  ;  if  an  arm  or  leg  is  missing  at  the  time 
of  his  death,  he  will  be  minus  these  members  when 
raised  from  the  dead.     There  can  be  no  other  con- 


138  The  Return  of  the  Soul. 

dition  than  this,  if  resurrection  of  the  body  is  to  be 
accomplished.  If,  for  instance,  the  leg  and  arm  of 
a  child  be  destroyed,  and  the  child  grow  into  ma- 
turity, its  body  must  either  stand  at  the  resurrection 
day  without  its  leg  and  arm,  or  as  an  adult  body 
with  the  leg  and  arm  of  a  child,  both  of  which  con- 
ditions are  unreasonable,  ridiculous  and  impossible. 
As  it  is  evident  that  no  human  body  will  die  with- 
out defects  and  imperfections, our  resurrection  would 
be  a  most  miserable  one,  and  far  from  desirable. 
For  this  reason,  we  know  that  Christ's  return  was 
in  his  spiritual  body  and  not  in  his  material  form. 
In  addition  to  this  potent  argument,  let  us  take  the 
literal  record  of  scripture,  which  if  read  aright  and 
correctly  understood,  furnishes  still  further  proof  of 
this  view  of  the  question.  In  the  oriental  coun- 
tries, the  idiomatic  expression  "put  your  finger 
upon  it,"  is  widely  used  to  denote  absolute  certainty 
of  proof  regarding  anything.  It  is  customary  to 
say  to  any  one  doubting  a  statement,  ' '  Come  and 
put  your  finger  upon  it,"  which  is  equivalent  to 
"  Come  and  prove  it  for  yourself"  It  was  in  this 
sense,  "  Come  and  prove  it  for  yourself,"  that  Christ 
spoke  to  Thomas,  for  Thomas,  after  the  death  of 
Christ,  had  begun  to  doubt  the  truth,  and  Christ, 
reading  his  wavering  thoughts,  spoke  thus  to  con- 
vince him  that  he  had  returned  to  them,  though  in 
his  spiritual  body. 

Upon  the  basis  of  the  foregoing  scientific,  philo- 
sophical and  scriptural  reasoning,  resurrection  of 
the  body  is  impossible,  but  the  return  or  re-em- 
bodiment of  the  soul,  is  conclusively  proved. 


The  Return  of  the  Soul.  139 

To  some,  admitting  the  necessity  of  the  soul's 
return,  belief  in  it,  is  difficult,  from  the  fact  that 
we  have  no  memory  of  the  soul's  past  history. 
*'Why  do  we  not  remember  our  previous  incarna- 
tions?" God,  in  His  Infinite  wisdom,  has  laid  the 
law,  that  when  the  soul  enters  its  body,  the  tablet  of 
memory  is  sealed  and  the  soul  cannot  recall  any  of 
its  previous  history.  This  is  necessary  for  a  very 
evident  reason.  God  has  given  us  the  faculty  of 
will,  the  power  of  choice  and  independence,  in 
order  that  we  may  be  responsible  for  our  actions 
while  in  the  body  and  by  the  correct  use  of  which, 
we  may  be  fitted  to  become  His  children.  For 
this  reason,  He  has  bestowed  upon  us  this  great 
weapon,  this  supreme  God-gift,  will.  Having  en- 
dowed us  with  it,  it  is  necessary  that  He  must 
grant  us  also  the  opportunity  of  exercising  it. 
If  the  tablet  of  memory  was  not  sealed  and  cut  ofi" 
from  the  soul's  past,  each  soul,  remembering  the 
circumstances  of  its  coming  upon  earth,  and  the 
purpose  of  its  being  here,  would  fulfill  that  pur- 
pose without  the  exercise  of  its  independence,  for 
it  would  be  influenced  by  its  previous  knowledge, 
and  controlled  by  it  to  such  an  extent,  that  it 
would  not  deserve  any  credit  or  reward  for  its 
actions.  Nor  could  it  be  fitted  to  become  the 
child  of  God,  for  it  would  not  resemble  Him  in 
being  independent.  For  this  reason,  the  tablet  of 
memory  is  sealed  when  the  soul  enters  the  body. 
It  is  likewise  a  wise  and  merciful  provision  of  our 
Almighty  Creator,  in  cutting  off  the  memory  of 
our  previous  existence,  for  the  brain  could  not  en- 


I40  The  Return  of  tlie  Soul. 

dure  the  strain  of  our  accumulated  experiences; 
we  would  be  driven  insane  by  the  mental  pressure, 
and  the  soul's  opportunity  denied  it 

WHAT  IS  DEATH  ? 

The  difference  between  the  death  of  the  body, 
and  what  may  be  termed  the  death  of  the  soul, 
must  be  clearly  understood  and  explained.  It  is 
self-evident,  that  the  earth  is  not  our  permanent 
place  of  residence  ;  no  human  creature  will  remain 
here ;  all  will  pass  away  at  the  summons  of  death. 
We  are  sent  upon  the  earth  for  a  short  time,  to 
attain  a  great  privilege  in  our  eternal  life.  For 
this  reason,  our  bodies,  in  which  we  make  this 
short  stay,  are  compositions  of  material  elements, 
susceptible  to  the  eflfects  of  the  surrounding  nature, 
and  irrevocably  destined  to  undergo  decomposition 
or  death.  When  decomposition  ensues,  the  soul 
must  leave  its  residence,  and  pass  into  the  spiritual 
realms,  exactly  as  one  leaves  a  house  that  has 
become  uninhabitable,  deserts  it,  and  moves  to 
another  place.  As  death  of  the  body  does  not 
mean  destruction  of  its  material  elements,  since 
nothing  in  existence  is  destructible,  it  means  the 
end  of  the  partnership  or  connection  between  mat- 
ter and  the  soul.  Death  is  the  change  of  abode, 
the  liberation  of  the  soul  from  the  body.  There- 
fore death  is  not  to  be  feared  or  dreaded,  and  we 
should  be  happy  in  the  knowledge  that  the  soul  is 
being  freed  from  its  imprisonment.  For  this 
reason,  instead  of  rejoicing  at  birth  and  lamenting 


The  Return  of  the  Soul.  i4« 

at  the  time  of  death,  these  conditions  should  be 
exactly  reversed ;  joy  should  accompany  the  de- 
parture of  the  soul,  and  lamentations  bewail  its 
coming  upon  earth. 

The  "death  of  the  soul,"  or  the  "second  death," 
as  it  is  termed,  resembles,  in  some  respects,  the 
death  of  the  body.  The  soul  which  accomplishes 
the  purpose  of  its  coming  upon  earth,  will  be 
naturalized  into  Divinity  and  adopted  as  the  child 
of  Gk)d;  while  the  soul  failing  to  accomplish  the 
purpose  of  its  residence  and  environment  here,  will 
be  cast  out  from  the  "face  of  God."  This  is  the 
"death  of  the  soul,"  or  the  "second  death,"  which 
has  no  power  over  believers.  It  is  the  corruption 
of  the  soul,  which,  by  its  unworthiness,  is  prevented 
from  being  naturalized  into  Divinity,  just  as  the 
corruption  of  the  material  body,  renders  it  unfit  as 
a  residence  for  the  soul.  As  the  soul  casts  its 
worthless  body  aside,  so  the  soul  itself  when  cor- 
rupted, is  cast  aside  to  live  in  the  spiritual  realms, 
subject  to  its  former  limitations;  its  opportunity 
lost;  its  eternity,  an  endless  regret.  This  is  the 
death  of  the  soul. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

EVOLUTION. 

The  theory  of  Mr.  Darwin  and  his  followers,  who 
claim  that  a  power  of  evolution  has  produced  the 
human  species,  by  slow  and  almost  imperceptible 
stages,  from  the  lowest  form  of  animal  existence, 
is  contrary  to  natural  laws  and  facts.  The  true 
evolution,  however,  which  is  the  growth  or  progress, 
mentally  and  physically,  of  existing  organisms,  ac- 
cording to  natural  and  spiritual  laws  which  have 
been  established  by  God  for  the  necessity  of  their 
existence  and  development,  is  clearly  demonstrable, 
and  in  harmony  with  all  evidence  and  conditions. 
It  is  a  scientific  fact,  that  all  the  material  elements 
possess  chemical  affinities  and  attributes,  by  which 
they  evince  a  tendency  to  be  compounded  with  each 
other,  and  so  produce  other  substances  or  combina- 
tions. For  instance,  equal  parts  of  hydrogen  and 
oxygen,  unite  freely,  the  result  being  a  compound 
which  we  call  water. 

Water  is,  therefore,  the  product  of  the  chemical 
affinities  of  the  two  gases,  hydrogen  and  oxygen. 
All  material  compositions  in  the  animal  and  vege- 
table kingdoms,  are  similarly,  a  result  of  the  chem- 
ical affinities  of  the  various  material  elements. 
These  chemical  affinities  produce  all  the  modifica- 
tions and  changes  in  material  organisms,  known  as 
development  or  evolution.     The  laws  by  which 

143 


144  Evolution. 

this,  the  true  evolution,  is  accomplished,  have  been 
laid  by  the  creative  wisdom  of  Almighty  God,  who 
has  given  to  material  elements,  their  attributes  and 
affinities,  in  harmony  with  His  all-wise  intention 
and  purpose. 

By  partaking  of  material  food,  man  develops 
from  a  state  of  infancy,  into  the  perfection  and 
fullness  of  his  physical  being.  Chemical  action, 
through  the  affinities  of  the  material  substances 
taken  as  nourishment,  transforms  this  food  into 
blood,  which,  by  mechanical  operation,  is  diffiised 
throughout  the  body.  All  parts  of  the  body  receive 
a  portion  of  this  blood  nutrition,  add  it  to  their 
substance,  and  grow.  In  reality  therefore,  this 
development  is  the  power  of  growth,  or  rather,  in- 
volution, because  growth  always  comes  from  the 
outside.  The  process  of  mental  development  is 
according  to  the  same  principle.  The  spiritual 
essence  is  endowed  with  intelligent  qualities  or  fac- 
ulties, which,  through  the  agency  of  the  power  of 
life,  are  exchanged  and  communicated  from  one 
soul  to  another. 

Thoughts,  ideas,  and  understanding,  are  thus 
imprinted  upon  the  tablet  of  memory,  furnishing 
the  capital  of  knowledge.  This  is  mental  devel- 
opment, mental  growth,  evolution,  or  rather,  invo- 
lution, for  there  is  no  development  mentally,  except 
from  the  outside ;  the  inside  being  endowed  by  God, 
with  capacity  to  receive  impressions  from  the  out- 
side, and  thus  grow  or  evolve. 

If  we  admit  the  Darwinian  theory,  we  must  also 
admit  that  man  was  not  created  by  God,  but  that 


Evolution.  145 

lie  is  the  result  of  mental  and  physical  modifica- 
tions, by  "  a  power  of  evolution."  That  is  to  say, 
a  **  Power  of  evolution  "  takes  the  place  of  a  crea- 
tive Being.  As  it  is  an  indisputable  fact,  that  no 
power,  force,  or  attribute  can  exist  without  an 
essence  back  of  it,  and,  as  back  of  the  power  of 
evolution,  is  the  material  essence,  we  must  conclude 
that  all  the  modifications  in  the  animal  and  vege- 
table kingdoms,  including  man,  the  highest  type 
and  production  of  the  former  kingdom,  are  the  out- 
come of  the  creative  power  of  material  essence. 
Then,  as  material  essence  must  be  the  creative 
cause,  and  as  a  creative  cause  must  be  self-existent, 
self  independent,  and  not  created,  it  follows,  that 
matter  and  all  its  modifications,  whether  of  the 
mineral,  vegetable  or  animal  kingdoms,  are  self- 
existent;  which  is  an  untenable  position,  directly 
opposed  to  science  and  reason.  This  theory  cannot 
be  sustained  for  many  reasons: — 

First: — Matter  is  entirely  void  of  intellectual 
qualities.  No  trace  of  intelligence  can  be  found  in 
it,  because  every  substance  in  the  universe,  pos- 
sesses qualities  which  are  necessary  for  its  existence, 
and  intellectual  qualities  are  manifestly  not  neces- 
sary for  the  existence  of  matter.  As  it  is  a  scien- 
tific fact,  that  all  material  modifications  or  com- 
positions must  partake  of  the  nature  of  matter,  and 
as  matter  is  void  of  intelligence,  we  reach  the  con- 
clusion, that  intelligent  organisms,  such  as  man  and 
the  animals,  cannot  be  produced  or  evolved  from 
material  substance,  which  neither  needs,  possesses, 
nor  is  able  to  produce  intelligence. 


146  Evolution. 

Second: — If  matter  is  self-existent,  it  is  neces- 
sarily self-independent.  We  find,  however,  that 
every  material  element  depends  upon  the  other 
material  elements,  in  all  its  modifications;  for 
all  its  modifications  are  simply  chemical  actions, 
produced  by  the  aflSnities  of  these  elements  for 
each  other.  All  members  and  species  of  the  vege- 
table and  animal  kingdoms,  depend  upon  the  sur- 
rounding elements,  for  their  existence  and  support. 
Man  himself,  whose  body  is  the  highest  known 
modification  of  matter,  is  not  fully  independent. 

He  cannot  appoint  the  time  of  his  birth  or 
death.  At  the  summons  of  death,  he  must  obey, 
however  unwillingly.  If  man,  therefore,  the  high- 
est modification,  cannot  claim  self-independence, 
the  horse,  fish,  and  other  lower  modifications,  cer- 
tainly cannot  do  so.  According  to  this  scientific 
reasoning,  the  theory  of  Darwin  cannot  be  truth. 

Third: — Matter  and  its  modifications  cannot  be 
self-existent,  because  it  would  then  necessarily  fol- 
low, that  they  must  have  thorough  knowledge  of 
themselves.  Man  does  not  possess  this  high  degree 
of  knowledge,  for  the  essence  of  material  and 
spiritual  substance,  transcends  human  understand- 
ing. Therefore,  as  man,  animals,  vegetables,  etc., 
are  not  dependent  upon  themselves,  but  upon  some- 
thing else,  they  cannot  be  self-existent;  proving 
the  truth,  that  back  of  all  these  modifications,  lies 
the  power  of  Almighty  God,  who  has  ordained  and 
systematized  their  existence.  His  creative  hand 
and  wisdom  endowed  every  essence  with  qualities 
necessary  for  its  existence,  and  the  existence  of  its 
modifications. 


Evolution.  147 

Fourth: — As  already  shown  in  the  chapter  upon 
"Return  of  the  Soul,"  matter  existed  before  its 
connection  with  the  intellectual  essence,  in  the 
being  of  man.  It  necessarily  follows,  that  the 
intellectual  essence  existed  before  it  united  with 
matter.  This  union  or  connection  between  soul 
and  matter,  in  the  being  of  man,  is  a  modification. 
As  every  modification  is  characterized  by  the 
qualities  of  its  component  substances,  and  as  mat- 
ter is  entirely  devoid  of  intelligent  qualities,  and 
cannot  produce  an  intelligent  combination,  it  is 
necessary  that  back  of  this  connection  between 
soul  and  body,  there  is  an  intelligent  source  from 
whence  it  came,  and  by  which  it  was  planned. 
This  source  is  the  All-wise,  All-knowing  and  Self- 
existent  Cause  and  Creator,  God. 

This  Creative  Cause  cannot  be  the  "power  of 
evolution,"  which,  as  already  shown,  is  without 
intelligence  in  itself.  The  definition  of  **  evolu- 
tion," according  to  the  high  priest  of  this  theory, 
Herbert  Spencer,  is  as  follows : — "  Evolution  is  an 
integration  of  matter  and  concomitant  dissipation 
of  motion,  during  which  the  matter  passes  from  an 
indefinite,  incoherent  homogeneity,  to  a  definite, 
coherent  heterogeneity,  and  during  which  the  re- 
tained motion  undergoes  a  parallel  transformation." 
Mr.  Ruskin's  parody  upon  this  definition,  is  "  Evo- 
lution is  a  change  from  a  knowhowish,  untalka- 
boutable,  allalikeness,  to  a  somehowish  and  in 
general  talkaboutable,  not  allalikeness,  by  continu- 
ous something  elsefications,  and  sticktogethera- 
tions." 


148  Evolution. 

It  has  recently  been  announced,  that  Mr.  Spencer, 
after  relying  for  years  upon  an  incomprehensible, 
undemonstrable  "cause,"  has  evolved  into  a  sound 
believer  in  an  Infinite  and  Eternal  Being,  from 
whom  all  things  proceed. 

Fifth: — We  know  that  our  intellectual  develop- 
ment depends  entirely  upon  impressions  received 
through  the  senses  and  delivered  to  the  faculties  of 
the  soul.  If  the  soul  is  prevented  from  receiving 
these  impressions  or  experiences,  we  can  have  no 
capital  of  knowledge  for  the  exercise  of  the  soul 
faculties.  This  has  been  demonstrated  by  an  ex- 
periment made  in  Paris,  where  an  infant,  artificially 
nourished,  was  confined  in  absolute  seclusion  for  a 
long  period.  The  proof  is  positive,  that,  under 
such  conditions  of  confinement,  a  human  being, 
although  physically  developed,  would  be  minus 
knowledge,  and  after  fifty  years  of  existence,  would 
possess  only  the  intelligence  of  a  new-bom  babe. 
Intellectual  growth  must,  therefore,  come  from  the 
outside.  If  there  is  a  "power  of  evolution,"  as 
claimed,  it  would  naturally  perform  its  action  or 
prove  its  existence  by  making  the  confined  human 
creature  know  something  at  least. 

Sixth: — If  we  study  the  development  of  the 
vegetable  kingdom,  we  will  find  that  seeds  are  pro- 
duced by  the  plant  or  tree,  and  that  there  is  no  seed 
unless  a  parent  organism  has  produced  it.  lyike- 
wise,  in  the  animal  kingdom,  there  is  no  ofispring 
without  a  mother,  no  egg  without  a  bird,  etc.  As 
the  theory  of  evolution  claims  that  every  organism 
originated  from  a  germ,  every  tree  from  a  seed, 


Evolution.  149 

every  mother  from  a  baby,  every  bird  from  an  egg^ 
etc.,  the  facts  would  be  reversed,  which,  we  can 
see  at  a  glance,  is  impossible.  There  is  absolutely 
no  proof  that  the  egg  was  first ;  that  the  seed  pre- 
ceded the  plant,  etc.  When  proof  of  this  is  at- 
tempted, the  connecting  link  of  reason,  is  obscured 
in  words  and  conglomeration  of  terms,  and  produc- 
tive of  no  sensible  conclusion. 

Proof  that  the  bird  must  precede  the  egg,  is 
clearly  demonstrable.  As  it  must  be  admitted  that 
neither  the  bird  nor  the  egg  is  self-existent,  it 
follows  that  one  or  the  other  was  created  in  the 
beginning. 

The  egg  is  equally  as  wonderful  as  the  bird,  and 
the  all-powerful  Creator  could  have  produced 
either  according  to  His  will.  If  the  egg  was 
created  first,  we  must  conclude,  according  to  the 
operation  of  natural  laws,  that  there  is  not  the 
evidence  of  His  perfection  of  knowledge  and 
wisdom  in  its  production,  since  the  egg  could 
not  incubate  and  evolve  a  bird  of  itself.  The 
care  and  attention  of  a  parent  bird,  is  neces- 
sary for  incubation.  Even  if  the  egg,  of  itself^ 
had  produced  a  young  bird,  the  attention  and 
assistance  of  a  parent  bird,  would  be  necessary 
to  feed  it  and  sustain  its  life,  until  it  became  able 
to  provide  for  itself  Therefore,  if  God  created 
the  egg,  it  was  necessary  that  His  providence 
should  take  the  place  of  the  parent  bird's  function, 
before  and  after  incubation.  This  supposition  is 
against  the  perfection  of  His  wisdom,  whereas  the 
creation  of  the  bird,  which  naturally  produced  the 


I50  K  volution. 

egg,  cared  for  it,  and  reared  its  young,  is  in  har- 
mony with  natural  laws  and  reason. 

By  analogous  reasoning,  we  must  conclude  that 
the  mother  preceded  the  babe;  that  the  tree  pre- 
ceded the  seed,  etc.  When  advocates  of  the  theory 
of  evolution  are  able  to  prove  that  the  mother 
developed  from  the  infant,  then,  and  not  till  then, 
can  their  claims  be  admitted. 

Seventh : — There  is  absolute  geological  evidence, 
in  the  strata  of  the  earth,  that  many  species  of  the 
animal  and  vegetable  kingdom,  appeared  after 
man.  Furthermore,  we  know  that  many  of  the 
cereals,  fruits  and  plants,  require  human  cultiva- 
tion, without  which  they  retrograde  and  disappear 
entirely;  lacking,  as  they  do,  the  power  of  self- 
propagation.  This  is  a  strong  argument  that  such 
species  were  created  for  human  needs,  and  be- 
stowed upon  man  by  the  wisdom  and  providence 
of  God. 

Eighth : — According  to  the  theory  of  evolution, 
we  possessed  at  some  remote  period  of  the  past,  the 
same  amount  of  intellectuality  now  possessed  by 
the  horse;  that  is  to  say,  the  horse,  after  passing 
through  an  equal  experience  of  time  and  develop- 
ment, will  e-volve  into,  and  attain  our  present  con- 
dition of  mentality  and  knowledge. 

If  this  theory  is  correct,  it  necessarily  follows, 
that  a  baby  must  be  superior  in  intelligence  to  the 
foal  of  a  horse;  but  facts  are  plainly  opposed  to 
this  conclusion.  The  foal,  three  days  after  birth, 
is  greatly  superior  in  intelligence  to  the  baby  at 
six  months;  a  convincing  evidence  that  a  "power 
of  evolution"  cannot  exist. 


Evolution.  151 

According  to  Professor  Huxley,  "There  is  be- 
tween man  and  all  lower  animals,  even  the  highest, 
a  diflference  so  wide  that  it  cannot  be  measured;  an 
enormous  gulf;  divergence  immeasureable;  practi- 
cally infinite." 

Max  Miiller  says — "Man  alone  employs  lan- 
guage; he  alone  comprehends  himself;  alone 
possesses  general  ideas  ;  he  alone  believes  in  God." 

Ninth  : — By  study  and  comparison  of  the  differ- 
ent genera  of  the  animal  kingdom,  we  determine, 
without  doubt,  that  each  species  is  distinct  and 
separate  from  the  others,  and  that  no  connection 
exists  between  them.  If  genera  evolved  from 
genera,  all  would  be  of  the  same  race,  though  sub- 
divided into  species.  Union  between  species, 
■Would  therefore  be  productive  and  progressive,  if  evo- 
lution is  a  correct  theory.  We  find,  however,  that 
as  every  race  or  genera  has  been  created  separate 
and  distinct  from  all  the  others,  union  of  different 
species,  when  it  happens,  is  either  non-productive, 
or  results  in  offspring  which  is  sterile.  The  mule 
is  an  illustration  of  this  violation.  This  is  the  law 
which  protects  races  or  genera  of  the  animal  king- 
dom. This  is  Nature's  safeguard  against  violation 
of  natural  law.  This  is  the  Creator's  fiat  against 
evolution.  There  can  be,  therefore,  no  link  of  con- 
nection or  evolution,  between  genera. 

The  failure  to  find  the  missing  link  between  man 
and  lower  animals,  lies  in  the  simple  fact  that  the 
missing  link  never  did,  and  never  could  exist. 
Darwin  himself  stopped  at  the  question  of  the  male 
and  female  and  the  link  of  connection  between 
genera. 


152  Evolution. 

By  comparison  between  the  human  race  and  the 
nearest  approach  to  man  among  the  lower  animals, 
we  discover  many  additional  facts  and  conditions 
which  fortify  the  proof  that  the  theory  of  "  evo- 
lution," as  formulated  by  Mr.  Darwin  and  his 
associate  thinkers,  is  an  impossibility.  The  pre- 
ponderance of  evidence  supports  the  action  of 
natural  laws  and  creative  wisdom,  while  so-called 
proof  that  man  is  the  result  of  progressive  develop- 
ment from  the  lowest  forms  of  animal  existence, 
violates  these  laws,  antagonizes  the  supreme  pur- 
pose of  God,  and  is,  according  to  the  admissions  of 
evolutionists  themselves,  simply  hypothesis.  The 
power  of  speech,  consciousness,  and  religious 
instinct  of  man,  are  insurmountable  obstacles  in 
the  path  of  the  evolutionist,  either  one  of  which 
proves  the  reverse  of  his  theory  and  annuls  the 
question. 

In  "  Hours  With  the  Bible,"  by  Geikie,  Mr. 
Wallace,  a  Darwinian,  is  quoted  to  show  that  evo- 
lution is  not  proved  by  science,  as  follows  :  "  It  is 
a  curious  circumstance,  that,  notwithstanding  the 
attention  that  has  been  directed  to  the  subject  in 
every  part  of  the  world,  and  the  numerous  excava- 
tions connected  with  railways  and  mines  which 
have  oflfered  such  facilities  for  geological  discov- 
eries, no  advance  whatever  has  been  made  for  a 
considerable  number  of  years,  in  detecting  the 
time  or  mode  of  man's  origin  *  *  and  amid  the 
countless  relics  of  a  former  world  that  have  been 
brought  to  light,  no  evidence  of  any  one  of  the 
links  that  must  have   connected   man   with   the 


Evolution.  I5J 

lower  animals,  has  yet  appeared.  Professor  Huxley 
said  about  one  of  the  two  skulls,  supposed  to  be 
the  oldest  as  yet  found,  that  it  may  have  belonged 
to  a  philosopher,  or  may  have  contained  the 
thoughtless  brain  of  a  savage.  Dr.  Pruner  Bey 
said  about  the  other  that  it  surpasses  the  average 
of  modem  European  skulls.  Heer  says  *the 
doctrine  of  the  transformation  of  species  is  most 
decidedly  contradicted  by  facts ' — such  is  the  testi- 
mony of  one  of  the  acutest  observers  and  most 
accomplished  geologists  of  the  day." 

Hardwick  says — "  It  is  necessary  to  my  argu- 
ment that  certain  other  points  shall  be  established. 
One  of  them  has  reference  to  the  question  touch- 
ing the  unity  of  the  human  race.  For  if  it  be  in 
any  measure  probable  that  all  varieties  of  men 
originated  in  a  single  pair,  I  shall  be  pro  tanto 
justified  in  urging  this  important  fact,  as  one 
medium  of  accounting  for  traditions  which  were 
afterwards  diffused  through  all  the  human  family." 

In  "Christ  and  Other  Great  Masters,"  by 
Hardwick,  p.  40,  "  Psychological  proof  of  the 
unity  of  the  human  race,"  quotes  as  follows: — 

"This  argument  depends  entirely  on  the  fact 
that,  notwithstanding  every  minor  variation  in 
feeling  or  capacity  in  taste  or  temperament,  by 
which  we  are  enabled  to  distinguish  one  people 
from  another,  there  are  certain  moral,  spiritual  and 
mental  elements,  inherent  in  humanity  itself  and 
underlying  all  the  national  types  and  local  charac- 
teristics. At  first,  indeed,  when  our  attention  is 
directed  to  the  subject,  a  picture  meets  us  not  of 
unity  but  of  diversity. 


154  Evolution. 

We  everywhere  encounter  groups  of  human 
beings,  each  betraying  some  peculiar  tendencies, 
with  manners  as  dissimilar  as  their  physical  con- 
formation ;  with  intellectual  habits  indicating  all 
degrees  of  power  and  culture  ;  with  sentiments  in 
one  case  harsh  and  barbarous,  in  the  second,  gentle, 
tender  and  refined ;  a  class  of  variations  warrant- 
ing, as  we  might  judge,  the  supposition  that  each 
separate  group  is  radically  independent  and  has 
always  formed  an  independent  species.  But  more 
thoughtful  observation  leads  us  to  abandon  this 
hypothesis  as  crude  and  superficial.  It  enables  us 
to  see  that  very  many  of  these  wide  diversities 
exist  at  present  and  have  long  existed  in  the  same 
country,  being  multiplied  in  homogeneous  popula- 
tion or  at  least  in  populations  where  the  races  of 
men  have  been  comparatively  unaffected  by  foreign 
admixtures.  Some  diversity,  therefore,  is  not 
utterly  incompatible  with  unity  of  origin  ;  and 
thus  we  are  admonished  to  carry  our  analysis  still 
deeper  in  the  hope  of  separating  what  is  merely 
special  in  the  mind  of  man,  or  accidental  in  the 
phases  of  society,  from  broader  and  more  funda- 
mental characteristics.  To  the  latter  class  we  shall 
more  reasonably  assign  whatever  has  been  held  in 
common  by  the  various  families  of  nations,  be 
their  state  of  culture  what  it  may  ;  those  great 
specific  properties  of  mankind,  the  aspirations, 
faculties  and  sentiments,  which  have  in  every 
period,  been  distinguishing  the  human  from  the 
brute  creation. 

Men  are  like  each  other  and  unlike  the  rest  of 


Evolution.  155 

animated  nature,  not  only  as  endowed  with  simi- 
lar feelings  and  affections  or  impelled  by  similar 
appetencies  and  aversions,  but  as  speaking,  reason- 
ing and  reflecting  creatures.  Wherever  man  is, 
there  we  find  these  marks  of  his  superior  dignity. 
If  we  grant  that  in  so  far  as  our  domestic  instincts 
are  concerned,  a  parallel  is  found  among  the  other 
orders  of  creation,  it  is  no  less  obvious,  that  wher- 
ever such  exist  in  man,  their  character  is  uniform, 
their  operation  is  identical;  while  in  that  loftier 
province  of  his  being,  where  he  is  immediately 
connected  with  the  "God  of  the  spirits  of  all  flesh," 
the  traces  of  a  common  nature  are  peculiarly  dis- 
cernible. It  is  a  fact  that  all  varieties  of  men  ex- 
hibit the  same  kind  of  spiritual  perceptions,  much  as 
these  may  vary,  both  in  sensibility  and  clearness. 
But  in  urging  facts  like  these  to  prove  the  radia- 
tion of  the  human  family  from  one  common  point, 
we  meet  with  some  objections.  It  is  said,  for  in- 
stance, that  identity  of  disposition  may  exist  with- 
out implying  an  identity  of  origin.  Thus  in  the 
large  group  of  cats,  including  the  leopard,  tiger, 
lion  and  other  species,  the  same  general  tempera- 
ment and  habits  are  everywhere  observable,  and 
yet  it  is  alleged  such  animals  were  originally  made 
to  constitute  distinct  varieties.  To  this  it  is  suf- 
ficient to  reply,  that  man,  as  we  may  gather  from 
the  faculties  of  speech  and  reason,  from  his  moral 
susceptibilities,  his  spiritual  nature,  and  his  vast 
capacity  of  progress,  must  be  treated  as  a  being  sui 
generis;  or  at  least,  that  where  differences  like 
these  exist,  we  are  not  justified  in  reasoning  so 


156  Evolution. 

completely  to  liis  case  from  that  of  the  inferior 
animals.  It  is  not,  of  course,  denied  that  with 
regard  to  what  are  called  the  animal  appetencies 
and  aversions  of  his  nature  and  even  to  the  class  of 
sensuous  habits,  such  analogy  may  be  adduced 
with  justice  and  pursued  into  its  consequences. 
But  in  doing  this  we  must  not  overlook  the  fact 
that  all  varieties  of  men  are  far  more  intimately 
related  than  the  class  of  animals  in  question. 
The  various  species  of  the  feline  genus  either 
intermingle  very  seldom,  or  evince  a  strong  re- 
pugnance to  such  union.  If  hybrids  be  occasion- 
ally produced,  and  if  they  threaten  by  their  propa- 
gation to  commence  an  intermediate  or  degenerate 
race  of  animals,  the  wayward  tendency  is  soon 
arrested  by  their  absolute  sterility,  and  thus  the 
species  do  not  lose  their  original  characteristics. 
On  the  other  hand,  such  intermixtures  are  both 
possible  and  permanent  among  the  diflferent  families 
of  man.  The  "races"  which  are  thought  to  be 
peculiarly  distinct  from  each  other  (the  Caucasian 
and  the  Negro)  are  most  ordinary  examples  of  this 
law;  alliances  between  them  issuing  in  a  fruitful 
progeny  and  what  is  especially  worthy  of  remark, 
the  nobler  type  ere  long  predominating  and  absorb- 
ing the  degraded." 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THB   PURPOSE   OF  OUR  CXDMING  HERE,    ACXX>RDINO 
TO  OTHER  RELIGIONS. 

The  purpose  of  the  soul's  existence  upon  the 
earth,  is  a  fundamental  question  in  all  religions, 
the  solution  of  which  has  given  rise  to  a  wide 
range  of  beliefs  and  doctrines.  As  differences  of 
belief  exist,  it  is  spiritually  instructive  to  examine 
and  compare  those  most  widely  accepted,  and  dis- 
cern by  the  light  of  reason,  what  percentage  of 
truth  each  may  contain. 

All  the  prophets,  and  especially  our  Great  Mas- 
ter, Jesus  Christ,  taught  plainly  in  the  messages 
they  bore  to  humanity,  the  purpose  of  the  soul's 
coming  upon  the  earth.  This  life  of  short  dura- 
tion, less  than  the  wink  of  an  eye  in  comparison 
with  the  endless  cycles  of  eternity,  implies,  by  the 
very  brevity  of  its  continuance,  a  distinct  purpose, 
bearing  the  sanction  of  our  God  and  Creator,  and 
intended  for  the  accomplishment  of  some  privilege 
by  the  soul.  If  we  study  the  messages  of  the  holy 
souls  whom  God  has  sent  to  open  our  spiritual  eyes, 
we  will  find  in  them  a  unanimity  of  teaching  upon 
this  one  particular  point,  and  that  they  considered 
it  to  be  a  foundation  truth  of  the  very  highest  im- 
portance to  the  human  race.  Unfortunately  for  us 
however,  in  every  case,  misinterpretations,  misquo- 
tations and  additions  to  the  original  messages,  in 
process  of  time,  so  obscured  the  truth  they  con- 

157 


15^  Other  Religious  Theories. 

tained,  that  the  reality  of  the  purpose  of  our  life 
upon  earth  has  been  lost  sight  of.  Confusion  and 
contradiction  of  opinion  therefore  exist,  in  the 
maelstrom  of  which,  the  soul  is  overwhelmed,  and 
Seeks  the  simple  truth  vainly. 

We  know  that  the  All-Mighty  never  performs  an 
action,  unless  it  embodies  an  All-Wise  purpose. 
From  the  lowest  and  least  important  of  His  crea- 
tions, to  the  highest  and  greatest,  all  proclaim  an 
absolute  certainty  of  purpose  in  their  existence. 
Man,  the  higliest  visible  form  in  the  universe  of 
God  ;  the  exquisite  combination  of  spiritual  and 
material  substance;  man,  the  masterpiece  of  the 
Creative  Hand,  embodies  in  his  being,  Divine  Wis- 
dom, and  exists  here  for  a  supreme  purpose.  If  we 
therefore,  should  remain  thousands  of  years  upon 
the  earth,  delving  into  the  secrets  of  nature,  accu- 
mulating knowledge  of  science,  and  progressing  in 
civilization,  yet  not  comprehending  the  great  pur- 
pose of  our  coming  and  stay  here,  we  would  still 
be  groping  in  darkness  and  ignorance,  lacking  the 
most  essential  of  all  truths.  Without  this  knowl- 
edge, we  could  not  follow  the  example  of  Christ's 
teachings,  for  he  said,  "  I  say  the  truth,  because  I 
know  whence  I  came  and  where  I  am  going." 
Through  him  and  many  others,  God  has  sent  this 
knowledge  to  us,  and  the  soul's  highest  attainment 
is  that  of  seeking  and  securing  it. 

JUDAISM   AND  THE  TEACHINGS  OF  MOSES. 

If  we  study  the  Pentateuch,  to  discern  what 
Moses  taught  the  Israelites,  and  what  essential 


Other  Religious  Theories.  159 

truth  lies  at  the  foundation  of  Judaism,  we  learn 
that  it  consists  solely  of  the  promise  of  material  re- 
wards and  punishments  for  obedience  or  disobedi- 
ence to  the  commandments  of  God  ;  that  the  pur- 
pose of  our  being  here,  is  to  obey  these  command- 
ments and  live  in  harmony  with  each  other.  The 
teachings  of  Moses  contain  no  mention  whatever 
of  an  eternal  existence. 

In  the  28th  Chapter  of  Deuteronomy,  ist-i3th, 
it  is  recited  that  if  the  Israelites  hearken  unto  and 
obey  the  commandments  of  God,  they  will  be 
"  blessed  in  the  city,"  "  in  the  field,"  "  in  the  fruits 
of  the  cattle,"  "in  the  basket,"  "in  the  store," 
"in  coming  in  and  going  out,"  etc.,  etc.  Follow- 
ing this,  is  the  recital  of  punishments  for  disobedi- 
ence to  the  commandments  of  God:  "  If  thou  wilt 
not  hearken  unto  the  voice  of  the  Lord  thy  God 
to  observe  to  do  all  His  commandments  and  His 
statutes,  these  curses  shall  come  upon  thee  and 
overtake  thee."  "Cursed  shalt  thou  be  in  the 
city,"  in  "the  field,"  in  "thy  basket,"  in  "thy 
store,"  in  the  "fruit  of  thy  body,"  in  the  "fruit 
of  thy  land,"  the  "increase  of  thy  kine,"  in  the 
"flocks  of  thy  sheep,"  "  the  Lord  will  smite  thee 
with  the  botch  of  Egypt  and  with  the  emerods 
and  with  the  scab,  and  with  the  itch,"  with  "  mad- 
ness, blindness,  astonishment  of  heart,"  "op- 
pressed," "spoiled,"  and  "no  man  shall  save 
thee,"  etc.,  etc.  If  earthly  reward  and  punishment 
comprise  the  purpose  of  our  being  here,  man  is  no 
higher  than  the  animals,  and  less  enviably  situated, 
since  they  obtain  their  food  more  easily  and  with 


i6o  Otlier  Religious  Theories. 

less  anxiety  than  we  do.  There  would  be  no  jus- 
tice in  the  action  of  God  in  allowing  us  to  come 
upon  the  earth,  endowed  with  higher  faculties  and 
powers  than  the  animals,  yet  relegated,  as  they  are, 
to  mere  temporal  accomplishment.  Under  such 
conditions,  although  superior  in  endowment,  we 
would  be  most  miserable  in  destiny ;  subject  to 
pain  and  suflfering,  both  mental  and  physical,  from 
birth  to  death,  and  capable  only  of  accomplishing 
an  amelioration  of  the  unfortunate  circumstances 
by  which  we  are  surrounded.  As  these  conditions 
would  be  directly  against  the  justice  of  God,  it  is 
evident  that  our  purpose  in  being  here,  is  vastly 
more  than  the  question  of  mere  temporal  rewards 
or  punishments,  and  the  fact  of  the  soul's  immor- 
tality proves  and  presupposes  this  belief. 

HINDOO   RELIGIONS. 

Brahmanism  and  Buddhism  agree  generally,  in 
the  essential  belief,  that  our  purpose  in  being  here, 
is  to  escape  and  be  delivered  from  this  world  of 
sense  and  time  ;  to  be  absorbed  into  the  rest  of  eter- 
nity, annihilated  in  the  Supreme  Existence,  as  a 
drop  of  water  taken  from  the  ocean,  finds  its  way 
back  and  is  absorbed.  The  difference  between  the 
two  religious  beliefs,  lies  in  the  method  of  attain- 
ing this  desired  deliverance  and  absorption  into 
Deity,  yet  both  concur  in  a  total  loss  of  personal 
identity,  when  "  Nirvana"  is  reached. 

If  God,  the  Supreme  Existence,  is  perfection,  no 
human  soul  can  be  added  to  Him,  nor  annihilated 


Other  Religious  Theories.  i6i 

in  Him.  If  it  is  possible  to  be  annihilated  in  Him, 
He  is  not  perfection  and  cannot  be  God.  Neither 
can  He  be  a  Supreme  State  or  Existence.  If  their 
God  has  no  existence,  implying  "  the  negation  of 
action,"  then  "annihilation"  means  destruction. 
But  nothing  in  existence  can  be  destroyed,  and 
this  position  is  likewise  untenable.  If  all  our 
struggles  and  moral  instinct  to  do  right;  if  all  our 
development  and  progress,  merge  into  obliteration 
and  the  loss  of  personal  identity,  every  human 
creature  would  prefer  to  remain  undeveloped.  As 
the  idealists  believe  that  no  motive  can  be  ascribed 
to  the  Perfect,  the  Absolute,  without  rendering 
Him  imperfect,  their  logical  deduction  must  be 
that  existence  is  delusion,  and  our  purpose  in  be- 
ing here,  is  the  "play  of  the  Infinite."  The 
Brahmanists,  in  fact,  do  not  believe  that  their  God 
Brahama  created  the  universe,  but  that  it  was  cre- 
ated by  "  Avidya,"  ignorance.  Therefore,  accord- 
ing to  the  Hindoo  philosophies,  our  existence  here 
is  not  a  purpose  or  motive,  but  is  "  delusion  "  and 
"play."  This  is  a  misunderstanding  and  inver- 
sion of  the  true  meaning  of  the  Absolute  Perfec- 
tion. Whereas,  the  Absolute  Perfection  denotes 
the  AU-Powerful,  All-Knowing,  All-Activity,  in- 
finite in  attributes,  they  have  subverted  its  mean- 
ing to  be  "  Negation,"  which  must  imply  the  Ab- 
solute Imperfection,  powerless,  unknowing,  with- 
out attributes,  and  therefore  without  motive.  If 
this  construction  be  true,  it  follows,  as  they  claim, 
that  the  creation  of  the  universe,  without  motive, 
must  be  the  "play  of  the  Infinite."     "  Play,"  how- 


1 62  Other  Religious  Theories. 

ever,  is  an  important  motive,  and  "Avidya'' — ig- 
norance, the  creator  of  the  universe  must  be  in- 
finitely superior  to  "  Negation. "  The  true  essence 
of  the  spiritual  teachings  of  Brahama  (Abraham) 
and  Buddha,  concerning  annihilation  in  God,  and 
the  state  of  Nirvana,  which  have  been  corrupted 
by  philosophical  interpretation,  will  be  explained 
in  the  "Mission  of  Christ."  "The  etymological 
signification  of  the  word  'annihilation'  does  sig- 
nify '  nothingness '  or  *  extinction  ; '  not  (Max 
Miiller  says)  annihilation  of  the  individual,  but  a 
complete  cessation  of  all  pain  and  misery.  Miiller 
shows  that  Siddartha  used  Nirvana  as  synonymous 
with  Moksha,  Niroritti,  and  other  words,  all  desig- 
nating the  highest  state  of  spiritual  liberty  and 
bliss,  but  not  annihilation." 

CHRISTIANITY. 

Christian  theologians,  although  voluminous  in 
their  expositions  of  Christianity,  have  scarcely 
mentioned,  specifically,  the  purpose  of  our  coming 
upon  the  earth  for  such  short  duration.  The 
light  they  furnish  upon  this  particular  question, 
may  be  condensed  in  the  statement  that  we  are 
here  "  to  worship  God  and  glorify  Him  forever." 
This  consensus  of  expression,  by  comparison  with 
other  religious  teachings,  is  unmistakably  loftier  in 
idea  and  nearer  the  truth,  yet  it  does  not  need 
much  reasoning  to  show  that  man's  creation  and 
existence,  embody  a  purpose  especially  directed 
toward  his  own  intrinsic   and   personal   develop- 


Other  Religious  Theories.  163 

ment.  It  is  our  manifest  duty  to  worship  God 
and  glorify  Him,  not  because  He  needs  worship 
and  glorification,  but  in  order  that  we  may  be 
benefited  and  spiritually  increased.  It  is  thus  that 
we  obtain  powers,  blessings  and  gifts,  and  draw 
nigh  unto  Him,  yet  this  cannot  be  the  great  aim  of 
our  existence.  Wherever  we  may  be,  whether  in 
this  existence  or  in  the  hereafter,  we  have  this 
same  duty  of  worshiping  God  and  may  obtain 
spiritual  growth  in  return;  therefore  our  specific 
term  of  life  upon  the  earth  cannot  be  for  that 
alone.  We  must  conclude  that  our  specific  exist- 
ence implies  a  specific  and  not  a  general  purpose. 
Furthermore,  it  would  be  cruelty  on  the  part  of 
God  to  send  us  here,  subject  to  pain,  sufiering  and 
death,  for  the  purpose  of  worshiping  and  glorifying 
Him.  As  He  is  loving  and  merciful  to  an  infinite 
degree,  this  is  impossible,  for  we  could  worship 
and  glorify  Him  to  much  better  advantage  under 
conditions  where  pain  and  death  do  not  exist. 
Throughout  the  Old,  and  especially  in  the  New 
Testament,  from  the  lips  of  Christ,  the  purpose  of 
our  existence  is  clearly  set  forth,  but  dogma  and 
doctrine  have  obscured  the  light  of  the  simple 
truth  he  taught,  and  most  of  its  benefit  to  the  soul 
has  been  lost. 

MOHAMMEDANISM. 

Mohammed,  the  prophet  of  Arabia,  accepted  and 
continued  in  the  noble  religion  he  taught,  the  es- 
sential truths  of  Judaism  and  Christianity.  He 
recognized  that  Moses,   Christ,  and  all   the   true 


i64  Other  Religious  Theories. 

prophets  were  messengers  sent  from  God  to  teach 
the  truth  to  the  human  race  ;  that  there  is  but  one 
God,  to  whom  all  must  bow  in  submission ;  and 
that  good  will  toward  others,  is  a  necessary  and 
practical  religious  duty.  Unfortunately  however, 
soon  after  his  death,  dissensions  arose  among  his 
followers,  the  result  of  which  was  the  adoption  of  a 
false  Koran,  and  the  rejection  of  the  collec- 
tion of  Mohammed's  teachings  made  by  his  son-in- 
law  and  cousin,  Ali.  From  the  history  of  this 
event,  we  know  that  the  present  Koran  is  a  cor- 
ruption of  the  truth  which  Mohammed  taught, 
and  that  the  light  of  his  utterance  and  teaching,  is 
greatly  obscured  by  interpolation  and  dogma. 

The  Mohammedan  religion  as  it  exists  today, 
teaches  that  Allah  is  the  only  Force  in  the  uni- 
verse ;  that  He  rules  by  arbitrary  will ;  that  man  is 
entirely  under  His  control ;  that  belief  in  absolute 
predestination  is  essential ;  that  Allah  is  inclined 
to  punish  rather  than  to  reward;  to  inflict  pain  rather 
than  to  bestow  pleasures,  and  to  ruin  rather  than 
to  build.  Mohammedanism  therefore,  instead  of 
inculcating  the  foundation  of  sincere  conviction  in 
religious  duty,  as  Mohammed  taught,  has  become, 
through  the  incorporation  of  error  and  dogma,  the 
instrument  of  worldly  purpose,  and  temporal  ac- 
complishment. According  to  its  exponents,  the 
purpose  of  human  existence,  is  "predestination" 
or  the  "will  of  Allah." 

From  this  standpoint  of  the  soul's  purpose  upon 
earth,  human  responsibility  ceases,  and  God  alone 
is  responsible  for  all  human  action,  a  deduction 


Other  Religious  Theories.  165 

which  the  existence  of  the  soul's  independence, 
completely  disproves. 

THEOSOPHY. 

Theosophy  teaches  that  the  purpose  of  our 
coming  here,  is  to  accomplish  our  "  Karma,"  by 
sufferings  and  experiences  through  successive  re- 
incarnations, until  absorbed  into  Deity  from  whence 
we  came.  The  foundation  principle  of  this  teach- 
ing, is,  that  the  soul  is  a  part  of  the  essence  of 
Diety,  and  has  been  separated  from  Him,  as  a 
spark  from  the  sun.  Furthermore,  it  is  shown, 
that  as  soon  as  the  soul  was  separated  from  Deity, 
it  became  dull  and  lifeless,  necessitating  its  progress 
through  a  circle  of  life,  consisting  of  seven 
divisions,  in  order  to  accomplish  its  development 
or  Karma,  and  be  absorbed  into  Deity  from  whence 
it  was  separated.  These  divisions  are  known  as 
the  cycle  of  Adam,  the  cycle  of  Jesus  Christ  etc., 
signifying,  that  at  the  time  of  Adam,  the  human 
soul  was  less  developed  than  at  the  time  of  Christ, 
and  formulating  the  idea  of  progressive  develop- 
ment. 

A  reasonable  consideration  of  theosophical  teach- 
ing, shows  its  impossibility,  for  several  reasons. 
We  know  that  it  is  impossible  for  Deity  to  be 
divided  or  split  up  into  the  atoms  or  parts  of  Deity 
which  are  said  to  form  souls,  without  destroying 
the  perfection  of  Deity.  Also,  if  we  are  a  part  of 
God,  we  are  unchangeable,  and  do  not  need  to  come 
upon  earth  to  become  God  again,  just  as  there  is  no 


i66  Other  Religious  Theories. 

need  of  resalting  salt.  Again,  it  is  sophistry,  to 
claim  that  when  we  are  nearer  to  God,  newly 
separated  from  Him,  we  become  dull  and  unintelli- 
gent, and  that  by  going  far  away  from  Him,  we 
begin  to  develop,  when  we  know  that  all  develop- 
ment is  accomplished  by  drawing  near  to  Him. 
The  purpose  of  our  coming  here,  is,  therefore,  not 
to  accomplish  a  "  Karma  "  of  development  toward 
Deity  of  which  we  are  a  part,  for  Deity  and  soul 
essence  are  forever  separated  and  different. 


CHRISTIAN   SCIENCE. 

Although  Christian  Scientists  claim  to  follow  the 
teachings  of  Christ,  it  is  impossible  to  reconcile 
their  statement  of  belief,  with  the  truth  Christ 
taught.  The  central  doctrine  of  this  code  of 
teaching,  is  the  assumption,  that  the  soul  of  man 
contains  the  germ  of  Divinity,  and  that  our  duty 
here,  is  to  awaken  and  develop  that  germ,  to  the 
degree  of  perfection,  in  order  that  we  may  have  no 
needs,  disease  or  sickness;  in  short,  that  the  pur- 
pose of  man's  existence,  is  to  declare  and  awaken 
his  Divinity.  There  is  no  need  of  repeating  the 
fact  that  Divinity  cannot  be  divided,  but  even  tak- 
ing for  granted  that  it  is  possible,  we  must  admit, 
that  it  is  a  very  poor  Divinity  which  depends  upon 
the  effort  of  man  to  awaken  and  develop  it.  Such 
a  quality  of  Divine  essence  can  be  of  no  use  to  us, 
since,  under  these  conditions,  we  are  superior  to  it 
Besides  this,  it  is  easily  apparent  that  our  purpose 
upon  the  earth,  is  vastly  more  than  the  attainment 


Other  Religious  Theories.  167 

of  a  state  of  harmony  with  the  surrounding  con- 
ditions and  existence.  While  Christian  Science 
and  other  kindred  psychic  teachings,  may  accom- 
plish the  amelioration  of  these  conditions,  and 
create  a  spiritual  atmosphere,  in  which  the  soul 
subordinates  bodily  ills  and  ailments,  they  do  not 
go  deep  enough  to  discover  the  soul's  real  and 
specific  purpose  while  in  the  body.  Christian 
Science  may  stimulate  the  soul  toward  a  recogni- 
tion of  its  duty  and  purpose,  but  it  does  not  deal 
directly  with  soul  duty,  soul  purpose,  or  soul 
destiny,  as  Christ  taught 

SPIRITISM. 

According  to  .the  prophecies  of  Scripture,  the 
Spirit  of  God  will  be  poured  abundantly  upon  the 
human  race,  in  the  latter  days.  As  shown  in  the 
Chapter  upon  "  Life,"  the  soul  is  susceptible  to 
messages  and  revelations  from  the  invisible  world, 
and  the  prophetic  promise  is  given  us,  that  God 
will,  through  this  medium  of  communication, 
enlighten  the  human  race  with  knowledge.  In 
Joel  2-28,  "  And  it  shall  come  to  pass  afterward, 
that  I  will  pour  out  My  spirit  upon  all  flesh ;  and 
your  sons  and  your  daughters  shall  prophecy;  your 
old  men  shall  dream  dreams,  your  young  men  shall 
see  visions."  The  purpose  of  these  revelations 
and  communications  from  the  Infinite,  will  be  to 
teach  mankind  the  truth,  and  warn  us  against  the 
error  of  seeking  knowledge  from  other  sources 
than    God    Himself.      As    belief    in    Spiritism 


1 68  Otter  Religious  Theories. 

implies  communication  with  the  spirits  of  the 
dead,  and  dependence  for  knowledge  upon  the 
messages  received  from  them,  it  follows,  that 
according  to  its  claims,  our  purpose  in  being  here 
is  to  seek  enlightenment  from  other  sources  than 
God  Himself,  which  is  clearly  wrong.  This  is 
expressly  forbidden  in  Scripture, —  Isaiah  8-19 
"  And  when  they  shall  say  unto  you,  seek  unto 
them  that  have  familiar  spirits,  and  unto  wizards 
that  peep  and  that  mutter ;  should  not  a  people 
seek  unto  their  God  for  the  living  to  the  dead." 
If  God,  who  is  Infinite  Knowledge,  is  accessible  to 
the  soul,  and  has  promised  to  reveal  Himself  to  us, 
what  purpose  or  benefit  can  possibly  be  had  from 
finite  souls  like  ourselves,  with  whom  we  shall 
soon  be  in  eternal  communication?  Unmistakably 
this  cannot  be  the  purpose  of  human  existence. 

Having  shown  briefly,  what  other  religions  and 
beliefs  teach  concerning  the  purpose  of  our  life 
upon  earth,  and  realizing  their  insuflSciency  under 
the  conditions  which  surround  us,  the  true  purpose 
of  the  soul's  environment  in  the  body,  will  be  con- 
sidered and  proved  according  to  scripture,  science 
and  the  light  of  reason,  in  the  chapter  upon  Adam 
and  the  Garden  of  Bden. 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE   VICARIOUS  ATONEMENT. 

The  purpose  of  this  chapter,  is  to  show  con- 
clusively to  all  who  have  the  disposition  and 
courage  to  think  for  themselves,  why  the  dogma 
of  the  church,  which  teaches  that  there  is  no  sal- 
vation without  the  shedding  of  blood,  no  for- 
giveness of  sins  without  the  crucifixion  of  our 
Great  Master,  Jesus,  is  not  entitled  to  belief.  Is  it 
credible  ?  Is  it  in  harmony  with  reason  and  in 
accord  with  justice?  Is  it  right  to  punish  the 
innocent  for  the  guilty,  and,  forgiving  the  latter, 
set  him  free  ?  It  is  neither  credible,  reasonable, 
just  nor  right. 

The  teachings  of  the  Great  Master  Himself,  and 
of  all  the  prophets,  proclaim  that  forgiveness  of 
sin  is  from  the  simple  mercy  of  our  loving  God, 
and  that  He  does  not  desire  payment  for  His 
mercy,  even  had  His  creatures  anything  to  give  in 
return,  which  they  have  not. 

It  can  be  clearly  proved  that  vicarious  atonement 
is  not  the  law  of  God,  but  that  it  is  an  idea  or 
doctrine  originated  and  accepted  by  misguided 
people  who  have  either  established  it  for  their  per- 
sonal interests,  or  ignorantly  and  carelessly  followed 
it,  depending  upon  the  statement  of  others,  and 
not  using  their  talent  of  reason. 

We  believe  thoroughly,  that  Jesus,  our  Great 
169 


170  The  Vicarious  Atonement. 

Master,  was  sent  to  this  world  to  teach  the  Mes- 
sage of  God,  through  which,  we  may  accomplish 
the  purpose  of  our  coming  upon  the  earth.  Christ, 
and  all  the  other  prophets,  brought  us  the  true 
knowledge  of  God  our  Creator,  as  He  is,  and  as 
we  ought  to  know  Him.  The  death  of  Jesus  Christ 
was  the  necessary  sequence  and  proof  of  his  life 
and  mission ;  his  "  at-one-ment "  with  the  salvation 
and  spiritual  needs  of  humanity.  The  cross  proved 
to  the  world  his  true  and  divine  mission,  the  spirit 
and  life  of  his  teachings  for  the  truth  of  which, 
millions  and  millions  have  followed  him.  Christ 
was  the  ''Way"  to  God.  He  came  for  the  salva- 
tion of  the  world,  but  his  death  was  not,  and  can- 
not be,  the  means  of  salvation.  The  dogma  that 
his  blood  was  a  ransom  paid  to  God  for  the  sins  of 
those  who  believe  in  his  sacrifice,  was  not  the 
teaching  of  Christ  himself  It  is  historically  and 
accurately  evident,  that  this  doctrine  of  atonement, 
was  borrowed  from  the  religion  of  the  Egyptians, 
through  the  connecting  link  of  Greek  philosophy, 
which  first  moulded  the  creed  of  Christianity.  See 
Clarke's  "  Ten  Great  Religions,"  vol.  i,  page  253  : 
"  In  the  space  which  we  have  here  at  command, 
we  are  unable  to  examine  the  question  of  doctrinal 
influences  from  Egypt  upon  orthodox  Christianity. 
Four  doctrines,  however,  are  stated  by  a  learned 
Egyptologist,  Samuel  Sharpe,  to  be  common  to 
Egyptian  mytholgy  and  church  orthodoxy.  They 
are  these  : 

I.     That  the  creation  and  government  of  the 
world  is  not  the  work  of  one  simple  and  undivided 


The  Vicarious  Atonement.  171 

Being,   but    of    One    God,    made    up   of    several 
persons. 

2.  That  salvation  cannot  be  expected  from  the 
justice  or  mercy  of  the  Supreme  Judge,  unless  an 
atoning  sacrifice  is  made  to  Him  by  a  Divine 
being. 

3.  That  among  the  persons  that  compose  the 
godhead,  one,  though  a  god,  could  yet  suflfer  pain 
and  be  put  to  death. 

4.  That  a  god  or  man,  or  a  being  half  god 
and  half  a  man  once  lived  on  earth,  born  from  an 
earthly  mother  without  an  earthly  father.  And 
again  "  The  death  of  Osiris,  the  supreme  god  of 
all  Egypt,  was  a  central  fact  in  this  mythology. 
He  was  killed  by  Typhon  the  Egyptian  Satan  and 
after  the  fragments  of  his  body  had  been  collected 
by  the  'sad  Isis,'  he  returned  to  life  as  a  king  of 
the  dead  and  their  judge." 

"  The  earliest  form  of  the  Christian  doctrine  of 
the  atonement,  was  that  the  Devil  killed  Jesus  in 
ignorance  of  his  divine  nature.  The  Devil  was 
thus  deceived  into  doing  what  he  had  no  right  to 
do,  consequently  he  was  obliged  to  pay  for  this  by 
giving  up  the  souls  of  sinners  to  which  he  had  a 
right.  The  Osiris  myth  of  the  death  of  a  God, 
which  deeply  colored  the  mysteries  of  Adonis  and 
Eleusis  took  its  last  form  in  this  peculiar  doctrine 
of  atonement." 

Many  of  the  reputed  teachings  of  Christ,  are 
simply  inventions  and  interpolations  by  leaders  and 
Church  fathers,  and  therefore,  not  essential  truths 
of  Christianity.     The  doctrine  of  vicarious   atone- 


172  The  Vicarious  Atonement. 

ment  is  one  of  these  erroneous  additions,  and,  as 
such,  should  be  rejected  by  all  true  believers  in 
Christ  and  Christ's  truth. 

For  a  long  time,  the  early  Christian  church  be- 
lieved that  the  blood  of  Jesus  was  a  ransom  paid  to 
the  devil  for  the  souls  of  sinners.  This  belief  was 
clearly  an  outcome  of  the  religion  of  Zoroaster, 
who  taught  that  by  natural  inclination  toward  evil, 
the  souls  of  men  belonged  to  the  god  of  evil,  to 
whom  a  ransom  or  sacrifice  must  be  paid  in  order 
to  free  them.  In  this  form,  the  idea  of  vicarious 
atonement  prevailed  in  the  Church  for  about  one 
thousand  years,  or  during  the  period  between  St. 
Irenaeus  and  St.  Anselm,  iioo  A.  D. 

St.  Anselm  formulated  and  taught  the  new  and 
present  doctrine  of  atonement,  which  holds  that 
the  blood  of  Christ  is  a  ransom  paid  to  God  for 
the  sins  of  mankind;  that  Christ's  death  was  a 
sacrifice  necessary  to  satisfy  the  exacting  justice  of 
God  the  Father. 

Christ  neither  taught  nor  claimed  this.  It  is  not 
the  truth  of  God.  It  had  its  origin  in  the  igno- 
rance and  superstitious  error  of  men,  and  violates 
the  word  and  teaching  of  Christ  Himself. 

F.  W.  Farrar,  Dean  of  Canterbury,  in  his  book 
"The  Bible,  Its  Meaning  and  Supremacy,"  pages  ii 
and  12  of  the  introduction,  says — "All  Christians 
alike  believe  in  the  Atonement  and  the  forgiveness 
of  sins.  Particular  theories  of  the  atonement,  and  of 
the  manner  in  which  sins  are  forgiven,  have  been 
prevalent  in  every  age,  and  have  sometimes  united 
the  suffrages  of  most  Christians.      Yet  if  they  have 


The  Vicarious  Atonement.  173 

been  formally  sanctioned  they  are  opinions  only,  not 
matters  of  faith.  Thus  in  early  days,  some  lead- 
ing Fathers  and  teachers  seized  upon  the  metaphor 
of  ransom,  used  in  the  Scripture  to  express  the 
result  of  forgiveness  to  guilty  men,  needlessly 
pressing  the  metaphor  into  spheres  to  which  it  was 
not  intended  to  apply,  and  which  transcend  the 
ken  of  man's  reason,  and  asked  to  whom  was  the 
ransom  paid?  They  decided,  most  erroneously 
and  unwarrantably  that  it  was  paid  to  the  devil. 
That  opinion  prevailed  in  the  Church  all  but 
universally  for  a  thousand  years,  from  the  days  of 
St.  Irenaeus  to  the'days  of  St.  Anselm.  St.  Anselm 
in  his  book  'Cur  Deus  Homo?'  decisively  re- 
jected it,  and  though  it  had  been  held  so  long  and 
so  all  but  universally,  yet  being  an  opinion  only 
and  not  a  doctrine  of  faith,  it  rapidly  crumbled 
into  dust;  it  now  finds  not  one  defender;  and  the 
faith  of  Christians  was  left  exactly  where  it  was." 

The  vicarious  atonement  by  Christ  for  the  sins 
and  souls  of  men,  is  opposed  to  the  justice  of  God, 
for  the  following  reasons: — 

First: — As  God  is  the  perfection  of  wisdom  and 
justice,  the  idea  that  He  should  perform  any  action 
not  in  accord  therewith,  is  wholly  untenable. 
Wisdom  and  justice,  in  their  perfection,  are  in- 
separable. It  is,  therefore,  a  violation  of  reason  to 
attribute  injustice  or  oppression  to  God,  who  is 
this  perfection.  The  punishment  and  death  of  a 
sinless,  innocent  Christ,  for  the  sins  of  humanity, 
would  be  a  direct  and  evident  injustice  of  God, 
which  is  impossible. 


174  The  Vicarious  Atonement. 

Second: — According  to  the  claim  of  another 
church  doctrine,  Jesus  Christ  was  not  only  a  per- 
fect man,  but  also  the  perfect  God  Himself;  that 
he  appeared  in  human  form,  of  his  own  free  will, 
suffered  voluntarily,  and  was  crucified  to  show  his 
love,  justice  and  mercy  toward  men.  The  im- 
possibility of  this  position  is  apparent,  in  the  fact 
that  God,  the  exacting  ruler,  and  God  the  victim, 
being  one,  God  would  be  sacrificing  Himself  to 
Himself.  To  accept  this  as  a  spiritual  truth,  is 
unreasonable  and  impossible. 

According  to  Scripture,  when  the  time  of  death 
drew  near,  Christ  withdrew  from  his  disciples  in 
the  Garden  of  Gethsemane,  and  prayed  earnestly, 
saying,  "Father,  if  Thou  be  willing,  remove  this 
cup  from  me,  nevertheless,  not  my  will  but  Thine 
be  done." 

This  shows  plainly,  that  he  did  not  will  to 
drink  the  cup  of  death,  and  did  not  offer  himself 
for  it.  "And  being  in  an  agony,  he  prayed  more 
earnestly,  and  his  sweat  was,  as  it  were,  great 
drops  of  blood  falling  down  to  the  ground."  If 
Christ  was  thus  anxious  to  escape  the  death  of 
atonement,  how  can  it  be  shown  that  of  his  own 
free  will,  he  was  crucified  for  the  sins  of  mankind  ? 

The  Church  explains  this  by  the  statement,  that 
"Christ's  prayer  came  from  his  human  personality 
and  not  from  his  divine  nature,  for  the  latter 
could  not  suffer  pain  or  crucifixion;  that  in  the 
flesh  he  was  weak  at  the  crucial  moment,  just  as 
we  are  weak." 

This  doctrine  is  likewise  untenable,  for  it  repre- 


Tlie  Vicarious  Atonement.  i75 

sents  Christ  as  weaker  than  many  of  his  disciples, 
who  oflfered  themselves  in  triumphant  martyrdom, 
willing  and  eager  sacrifices  to  the  truth  Christ 
taught.  According  to  Church  doctrine,  Christ  was 
of  celestial  parentage,  while  the  disciples  were  of 
human  paternity.  By  comparison,  therefore,  their 
glorification  in  death,  makes  the  weakness  of 
Christ  in  face  of  death,  an  apparent  inconsistency; 
and  if  he  was  of  divine  paternity,  this  reflection  of 
weakness  is  a  serious  stigma  upon  his  nature  and 
mission.  Furthermore,  if  his  coming  upon  the 
earth,  was  the  salvation  of  millions  of  human 
souls,  he  must  have  known  it.  Is  it  reasonable 
then,  that  when  the  great  moment  for  the  accom- 
plishment of  his  mission  confronted  him,  he  should 
shrink  from  it,  beg  with  intense  agony  that  the 
cup  of  death  should  pass  from  him,  and  his  mission 
be  not  fulfilled  ?  If  Christ,  even  from  his  human 
nature,  was  weak,  and  yielded  to  that  weakness, 
we  must  conclude  that  he  committed  a  graver  sin 
than  ours.  All  our  sins  and  mistakes  are  the 
direct  consequence  of  our  human  weakness.  If 
Jesus  possessed  divine  nature,  which  we  do  not,  he 
must  have  had  more  help  and  strength  than  we 
have,  and  therefore,  his  sin  in  yielding  to  human 
weakness,  proves  him  not  a  Savior  of  mankind. 
Furthermore,  if  he  knew  that  he  was  to  redeem 
sinners  by  his  death,  and  rise,  after  the  third  day, 
into  eternal  glory,  "  sitting  at  the  right  hand  of 
God  to  judge  the  quick  and  the  dead,"  can  we  be- 
lieve it  possible  that  he  wept  and  prayed  to  escape 
the  death  by  which  he  would  receive  his  eternal 


176  The  Vicarious  Atonement. 

glory  ?  Did  he  regret  having  offered  himself  as  a 
sacrifice  for  humanity,  and  fear  death,  which  he 
knew  would  only  last  three  days  ?  Impossible  ! 
Without  doubt,  there  are  many  men,  any  one  of 
whom  would  be  willing  to  undergo  death  upon  the 
cross,  for  no  greater  reward  than  that  of  knowing 
what  death  is,  provided  the  assurance  were  given 
them,  that  in  three  days  thereafter,  they  should  re- 
turn to  life  in  better  physical  condition  than  be- 
fore. How  much  greater  this  inducement,  if  he 
who  suffered  death,  was  assured  that  he  would 
thereby  become  the  Redeemer  of  the  world,  and  be 
destined,  as  the  Son  of  God,  to  sit  forever  at  the 
right  hand  of  God  the  Father. 

Fourth: — A  careful  reading  of  the  teachings  of 
Jesus,  as  they  appear  in  the  four  Gospels,  does  not 
show  that  the  special  object  of  his  coming  into  the 
world,  was  the  redemption  of  mankind  by  his 
death. 

That  his  disciples  were  entirely  ignorant  of  this 
teaching,  is  plainly  shown  in  the  record  of  two  of 
them  who  asked  Jesus  that  they  might  sit,  the  one 
upon  his  right  hand  and  the  other  upon  his  left,  in 
his  kingdom.  Had  Peter  known  that  his  Master's 
purpose  was  to  die  for  sinners,  he  would  not  have 
drawn  his  sword  in  Christ's  defense,  when  he  was 
surrounded  in  the  garden.  If  redemption  was  the 
aim  and  purpose  of  Christ's  coming,  he  would  cer- 
tainly have  explained  it  to  his  followers,  just  as  all 
the  prophets  and  messengers  sent  from  God,  taught 
their  followers  clearly  and  unequivocally,  the  pe- 
culiar character  of  their  missions.     Jesus  repeatedly 


The  Vicarious  Atonement.  i77 

announced  his  special  purpose  and  mission,  but  it 
was  not  the  redemption  of  mankind  by  his  death. 
It  is  clear  then,  that  neither  Jesus  nor  his  disciples 
knew  that  redemption  was  his  mission,  but,  two 
centuries  after  his  death,  the  Church  fathers  dis- 
covered it,  for  we  know  from  absolutely  sure  his- 
torical evidence,  that  at  that  time,  a  new  system 
of  Christianity  was  invented,  and  a  new  plan  of 
salvation  adopted  for  the  human  race,  which  plan 
has  no  support  whatever  in  the  teachings  of  Christ 
himself. 

Fifth : — Some  theologians  furnish  the  explana- 
tion that  Jesus,  under  the  stress  of  approaching 
death,  was  overwhelmed  by  the  great  weight  of 
punishment  which  fell  upon  him  for  the  sins  of 
the  human  race;  that  he  felt  he  was  separated 
from  God,  and  cursed  as  the  scapegoat ;  that  this 
realization  was  sufficient  to  induce  the  agony,  in 
which  he  begged  that  the  cup  might  pass  from 
him.  This  explanation  cannot  be  accepted,  for 
the  following  reasons  : — 

(a)  The  doctrine  that  the  weight  of  punishment 
fell  upon  Jesus  when  he  suflfered  crucifixion,  and 
that  our  sins  were  nailed  to  his  cross,  precludes  the 
idea  that  it  could  have  fallen  upon  him  in  Geth- 
semane,  for  had  Jesus  by  any  means  been  rescued 
from  his  captors  and  saved  from  death,  his  suffer- 
ings in  the  garden,  would  have  availed  nothing 
toward  the  redemption  of  humanity. 

(b)  If  the  doctrine  of  redemption  is  true,  the 
realization  of  approaching  death  could  not  have 
been  a  surprise  to  Jesus,  and  therefore,  could  not 


178  The  Vicarious  Atonement. 

have  produced  such  an  overwhelming  effect  upon 
him. 

He  must  have  realized  it  long  before,  understood 
the  nature  of  the  sufferings  he  had  voluntarily  of- 
fered to  undergo,  and  have  come  upon  the  earth 
for  the  very  purpose  of  experiencing  them.  If  his 
realization  of  these  sufferings  became  apparent  for 
the  first  time  in  Gethsemane,  it  would  prove  first, 
that  his  offer  to  save  mankind  was  not  genuine, 
having  necessarily  been  made  in  ignorance,  and 
without  full  or  proper  realization;  and  second,  that 
he  could  not  be  divine,  since  God  is  perfect  in 
knowledge  of  the  future  as  well  as  of  the  past. 

(c)  If  Jesus  in  reality  felt  that  he  was  separated 
from  the  Father,  the  doctrine  of  redemption  cannot 
be  true,  for,  as  the  second  person  in  the  Godhead, 
he  could  not  possibly  be  separated  from  God. 

If  Christ  is  "  One  with  God,"  they  cannot  be 
separated,  and  his  feeling  of  separation  was  an  er- 
ror of  imagination.  If  his  feeling  arose  from  an 
actual  separation, he  cannot  be  "One  with  God," 
and  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  fails. 

Again,  if  by  separation  is  meant  the  separation  of 
his  human  from  his  divine  nature,  and  that  his 
sufferings  were  purely  human  sufferings,  the  con- 
clusion must  be  that  they  were  valueless,  since  no 
one  by  ordinary  human  suffering,  can  save  or  be 
saved  from  everlasting  punishment. 

Jesus  Christ  wept  in  agony  when  his  death  drew 
nigh,  but  not  on  account  of  the  weight  of  punish- 
ment about  to  fall  upon  him  for  the  sins  of  the 
human  race;  nor  under  the  weight  of  condemnation 


The  Vicarious  Atonement.  179 

as  the  scapegoat.  He  wept  for  a  higher,  more 
glorious  and  more  Christlike  reason.  God  the 
Father  manifested  Himself  in  Christ.  Christ  said 
that  the  Father  "abode  in  him,"  and  that  the 
"  Father  who  abode  in  him  was  doing  the  work. " 
Christ  knew  that  his  separation  from  the  Father, 
was  approaching,  in  the  sense  that  God  would  not 
be  manifest  in  Christ  after  his  death.  For  this 
reason,  he  wept  bitterly;  for  this  reason,  his  soul 
poured  out  its  plaint  in  tears  of  love  to  God  the 
Father,  while  he  bowed  in  submission  to  the  divine 
will. 

Sixth: — It  is  a  reasonable  principle,  that  he  who 
offers  himself  to  redeem  another,  must  take  upon 
himself  the  sentence  and  punishment  of  the  re- 
deemed. If  the  doom  of  sinners  is  everlasting 
punishment,  we  must  conclude,  as  a  matter  of 
justice,  that  if  Jesus  really  came  to  save  sinners,  he 
should  have  assumed  that  same  punishment,  in- 
stead of  which,  it  is  claimed  he  rose  from  the  grave 
upon  the  third  day  and  ascended  into  heaven  to  sit 
upon  the  right  hand  of  God. 

Seventh: — If  we  give  unprejudiced  consideration 
to  the  doctrine  that  Jesus  is  ' '  Very  God  of  Very 
God,"  and  from  his  love  for  mankind,  found  no 
other  means  of  saving  us  from  sin  than  that  of 
offering  himself  upon  the  cross  as  "a  curse"  (Gala- 
tians  3-13),  we  must  acknowledge  that  this  plan  of 
salvation  is  entirely  inconsistent  with  reason.  Ac- 
cording to  it,  God  the  Infinite  is  creditor,  and 
human  beings  debtors,  for  whom  God  in  His  mercy, 
love  and  desire  to  forgive,  could  find  no  other  plan 


i8o  The  Vicarious  Atonement. 

than  that  of  punishing  and  crucifying  Himself,  in 
order  to  release  us  from  the  condemnation  of  our 
indebtedness. 

The  impossibility  of  this  doctrine,  must  be  ap- 
parent to  all,  and  its  very  impossibility  emphasizes 
the  truth  that  salvation  for  the  souls  of  men,  can 
only  be  found  in  the  exercise  of  the  simple  mercy 
of  God. 

Eighth: — If  Christ  came  to  redeem  us  from  eter- 
nal punishment  for  our  sins,  we  must  clearly  under- 
stand the  nature  of  those  sins. 

Under  the  doctrine  of  redemption,  Christ  came 
to  free  us  from  the  consequences  of  violating  the 
commandments  of  Moses.  These  violations  con- 
stitute sin.  As  already  stated,  the  teachings  and 
commandments  of  Moses,  contain  nothing  what- 
ever concerning  eternal  reward  or  punishment,  but 
are  confined  to  temporal  consequences  for  obedience 
or  disobedience.  This  being  the  case,  why  was  re- 
demption necessary  ? 

Christ  certainly  did  not  come  to  relieve  us  from 
the  calamities  of  this  world,  nor  to  save  us  from 
death  of  the  body,  nor  to  acquire  for  us,  by  his 
sacrifice,  a  plenteous  store  of  flocks,  herds  and 
worldly  possessions.  The  commandments  of  Moses, 
if  obeyed,  promise  these  rewards,  and  none  other. 
If  disobeyed,  they  threaten  the  lack  and  depriva- 
tion of  the  same  things.  Redemption  implies  sal- 
vation from  eternal  consequences  of  sin.  If  the 
punishment  for  sin  is  merely  temporal  deprivation, 
there  is  no  need  of  redemption  from  eternal  conse- 
quences. 


The  Vicarious  Atonement.  i8i 

Ninth : — Another  fundamental  doctrine,  which 
in  reality  necessitated  the  origination  of  the  doc- 
trine of  redemption,  is,  that  every  human  being  is 
a  sinner  by  heritage ;  that  from  Adam,  sin  has  de- 
scended to  us,  and  the  soul  commences  its  existence 
here  under  the  taint  and  incubus  of  a  sin  not  its 
own.  If  this  be  true,  it  is  necessarily  true  that 
Jesus  was  a  sinner,  like  all  the  human  race,  for  he 
was  the  son  of  Adam  as  well  as  of  David,  and  by 
nature,  inherited  the  same  sin  we  inherit.  If  Jesus 
was  a  sinner  by  hereditary  taint,  he  could  not  be  a 
Saviour.  One  false  doctrine  necessitates  other  doc- 
trines equally  false,  to  support  it.  The  fathers  of 
the  Church,  who  fabricated  the  idea  of  inherited 
sin,  found  it  necessary  to  deprive  Jesus  of  an 
earthly  father,  in  order  to  free  him  from  this  stain, 
but  unfortunately  for  the  credibility  of  their  story, 
they  left  him  a  mother,  through  whom  he  must 
have  inherited  whatever  sin  Adam  bequeathed  to  a 
helpless  and  innocent  posterity.  But  the  truth  is, 
that  no  such  thing  as  original  or  inherited  sin  ex- 
ists. The  just  Gk)d,  through  His  prophets,  has 
taught  us  that  every  soul  is  responsible  for  its  own 
action  and  choosing;  no  soul  can  assume  or  accom- 
plish the  responsibilities  of  another  soul.  Ezekiel 
18-20,  "The  soul  that  sinneth,  it  shall  die.  The 
son  shall  not  bear  the  iniquity  of  the  father,  neither 
shall  the  father  bear  the  iniquity  of  the  son ;  the 
righteousness  of  the  righteous  shall  be  upon  him 
and  the  wickedness  of  the  wicked  shall  be  upon 
him. ' '  The  same,  in  substance,  is  taught  by  the 
Mosaic  Law,  and  by  other  prophets.     From  this, 


i82  The  Vicarious  Atonement. 

the  truth  of  God,  we  are  forced  to  conclude  that  we 
cannot  bear  the  sin  of  Adam,  nor  could  the  wick- 
edness of  the  wicked  afflict  the  righteous  Christ. 

Tenth  : — Suppose  we  take  for  granted  that  Jesus 
came  to  redeem  the  world ;  that  he  who  believes 
in  Jesus,  will  attain  salvation  through  his  blood, 
and  that  he  who  does  not  believe,  will  be  cast  away 
into  eternal  punishment.  Allowing  this,  we  arrive 
at  the  following  conclusions: — 

(a)  As  salvation  is  only  achieved  by  those  having 
faith  and  leading  a  life  of  righteousness,  the  blood 
of  Jesus  does  not  save  the  whole  world,  but  only  a 
part  of  it. 

(b)  In  itself  alone,  the  blood  of  Jesus  has  no  real 
value,  and  no  one  could  possibly  be  saved  by  it,  as 
salvation  depends  entirely  upon  belief  and  the  per- 
formance of  good  deeds.  Had  the  blood  itself 
possessed  the  value  attributed  to  it,  all  mankind, 
whether  good  or  evil,  would  have  been  saved. 

(c)  Salvation  could  not  be  freely  obtained  by  the 
blood  of  Jesus,  because  it  wholly  depends  upon 
faith,  and  consequent  good  deeds.  Faith  being  no 
more  than  a  moral  inclination,  salvation  depends 
entirely  upon  good  deeds.  God  has  promised  us 
salvation  gratuitously,  and  without  price,  yet  under 
the  doctrine  of  redemption,  He  claims  two  prices 
for  it, — the  blood  of  Jesus  and  our  own  good  deeds. 
Salvation,  under  these  conditions,  is  not  free,  and 
if  not  free,  God  has  not  fulfilled  His  promise 
to  mankind.  Likewise,  God  has  not  dealt  justly  or 
mercifully  with  His  Son,  for  we  must  conclude 
that  He  required  from  Jesus  the  price  of  his  blood 


The  Vicarious  Atonement.  183 

for  human  salvation,  and  unpityingly  offered  him 
to  death. 

Eleventh: — A  prevailing  doctrine  of  the  Church, 
asserts  that  the  Almighty  God,  in  the  form  of  the 
second  personality  of  the  Son,  descended  to  earth 
and  took  the  flesh  as  man,  that  He  might  sympa- 
thize with  us,  understand  our  conditions,  gain  the 
experience  of  our  weakness  and  defects,  and  by 
suffering,  learn  obedience.  This  implies  that  God 
was  not  perfect  in  knowledge  and  mercy,  since  He 
came  to  gain  this  lesson  of  experience  and  ability 
to  sympathize  with  us. 

Another  inference  we  may  properly  draw  from 
this  teaching,  is,  that  in  learning  obedience  through 
suffering.  He  perfected  Himself  and  became  in 
reality  a  perfect  God,  as  it  is  stated  in  the  spurious 
Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  5,  8-9,  ''Though  he  were 
a  Son,  yet  learned  he  obedience  by  the  things 
which  he  suffered ;  and  being  made  perfect,  he 
became  the  author  of  eternal  salvation."  From 
these  verses,  it  appears  that  God  was  so  much 
benefited  and  elevated  by  His  coming  to  earth, 
that,  after  His  departure.  He  merited  a  position 
higher  in  honor  and  degree  than  that  of  His 
servants,  the  angels — Heb.  1-4,  "  Being  made  so 
much  better  than  the  angels,  as  He  hath  by  inher- 
itance obtained  a  more  excellent  name  than  they." 
The  presumption  must  be  that  before  coming  to 
earth.  He  was  disobedient,  and  in  position  lower 
than  the  angels. 

Twelfth: — To  prove  that  Jesus  died  for  the  whole 
world,  the  Church  teaches  that  we  were  crucified 


i84  The  Vicarious  Atonement. 

with  him  ;  that  his  body  was  the  nucleus  of  all  the 
bodies  of  mankind,  from  the  time  of  the  creation  to 
the  day  of  judgment,  and  that "  whosoever  believeth 
on  him,  shall  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life. " 
They  declare  that  Jesus  was  God  and  that  God  is 
in  all,  hence  everybody  was  crucified  with  Jesus. 

From  this  theory,  it  appears  that  every  in- 
dividual is  a  part,  or  member  of  the  body  of  Jesus, 
and  that  all  would  have  been  saved,  if  all  had  be- 
lieved in  him.  But  the  Scriptures  state  that  the 
greater  part  of  mankind  have  failed  to  believe  in 
him,  and  therefore  have  perished. 

Hence  we  are  forced  to  conclude  that  one  part 
of  the  body  of  Jesus  is  saved  in  heaven,  while 
a  greater  part  of  it  has  perished  and  is  in  an 
everlasting  hell;  that  his  death  was  ineJfectual 
and  incomplete,  inasmuch  as  he  was  unable  to 
save  all  mankind  (his  own  body). 

If  it  be  true  that  Jesus  is  God,  the  Almighty ; 
that  "He  is  in  all  and  through  all ;"  that  he  "came 
to  this  earth,  took  our  flesh  and  suffered  agony, 
even  the  bitter  death, — the  death  of  the  cross," 
to  save  his  body,  i.  e.,  the  whole  human  race,  we 
must  conclude,  inasmuch  as  he  saved  but  a  small 
portion  of  it,  that  he  undertook  an  enterprise 
greater  than  he  could  accomplish,  and,  after  strug- 
gling earnestly  to  save  his  whole  body,  by  his 
failure  proved  his  weakness. 

Such  doctrines  and  teachings  are  clearly  the 
invention  of  man,  and  contrary  to  the  record  of 
Christ's  teachings  in  the  four  gospels. 

Thirteenth: — It  is  claimed,  that  the  sacrifice  and 


The  Vicarious  Atonement.  185 

oflfering  of  animals  for  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  as 
recorded  in  the  Old  Testament,  were  prophetic  and 
typical  of  the  sacrifice  and  death  of  Jesus  for  us. 

A  careful  study  of  the  Bible,  fails  to  show  that 
God,  through  His  prophets,  ever  commanded  sac- 
rifices of  animals  or  burnt  offerings. 

On  the  contrary,  He  did  command  His  prophets 
to  teach  that  such  oblations  were  not  required ; 
that  they  were  not  pleasing  to  Him  and  were  for- 
bidden. The  command  and  sanction  for  sacrifices, 
originated  with  the  priesthood,  and  reflect  other 
motives  than  the  God-inspiration  of  the  holy  men 
whose  teachings  they  were  represented  to  be. 

Isa.  I,  10-14:  "Hear  the  word  of  the  Lord,  ye 
rulers  of  Sodom ;  give  ear  unto  the  law  of  our 
God,  ye  people  of  Gomorrah  ;  To  what  purpose  is 
the  multitude  of  your  sacrifices  unto  Me  ?  saith  the 
Lord  ;  I  am  full  of  the  burnt  offerings  of  rams  and 
the  fat  of  fed  beasts  and  I  delight  not  in  the  blood 
of  bullocks,  or  of  lambs,  or  of  he-goats. 

'  'When  ye  come  to  appear  before  Me,  who  hath 
required  this  at  your  hand,  to  tread  my  courts? 
Bring  no  more  vain  oblations ;  incense  is  an 
abomination  unto  Me  ;  the  new  moons  and  sab- 
baths, the  calling  of  assemblies,  I  cannot  away 
with  ;  it  is  iniquity,  even  the  solemn  meeting." 

"Your  new  moons  and  your  appointed  feasts  My 
soul  hateth ;  they  are  a  trouble  unto  Me ;  I  am 
weary  to  bear  them."  Psa.  4,  5:  ''Offer  the 
sacrifice  of  righteousness  and  put  your  trust  in  the 
Lord." 

Psa.  40,  6 :     "Sacrifice  and  offering  Thou  didst 


i86  The  Vicarious  Atonement. 

not  desire,  mine  ears  hast  thou  opened ;  burnt 
offering  and  sin  offering  hast  Thou  not  required." 
Psa.  51,  16-17:  "  For  Thou  desirest  not  sacrifice, 
else  would  I  give  it ;  Thou  delightest  not  in  burnt 
offerings.  The  sacrifices  of  God  are  a  broken 
spirit ;  a  broken  and  a  contrite  heart,  O  God,  Thou 
wilt  not  despise."  Psa.  107,  22:  "And  let  them 
sacrifice  the  sacrifices  of  thanksgiving,  and  declare 
His  works  with  rejoicing."  Jer.  6,  20 :  "To 
what  purpose  cometh  there  to  me  incense  from 
Sheba  and  the  sweet  cane  from  a  far  country? 
Your  burnt  offerings  are  not  acceptable,  nor  your 
sacrifices  sweet  unto  me." 

The  history  of  Oriental  nations,  explains  the  in- 
troduction of  sacrificial  customs  into  religious  cere- 
monies. From  the  earliest  times,  kings  and  rulers 
celebrated  their  victories  and  military  achievements, 
by  slaying  their  prisoners  of  war,  upon  entering 
the  captured  cities.  These  prisoners  were  ranged 
upon  either  side  of  the  city  gate,  and  were  executed 
at  the  moment  the  conqueror  put  his  foot  within 
the  walls.  In  time  of  peace,  the  arrival  of  a  dis- 
tinguished person,  was  celebrated  by  the  sacrifice 
of  animals,  which  were  afterward  prepared  for  food, 
the  visitor  partaking  of  their  flesh  as  a  compact  of 
peace  with  the  city  or  house  entertaining  him.  A 
trace  of  this  ancient  custom  prevails  in  the  East  at 
the  present  time.  When  the  Khedive  of  Egypt 
deigns  to  visit  a  city  or  some  high  personage,  ani- 
mals are  sacrificed  in  celebration  of  the  occasion. 

History  records  the  unending  conflict  between 
Monarchy  and  Priesthood,  for  the  control  of  gov- 


The  Vicarious  Atonement.  187 

emment.  To  advance  and  strengthen  their  power 
and  craft  over  the  lives  and  possessions  of  the  peo- 
ple, the  priests  introduced  sacrifices  of  animals  into 
their  religious  observances.  Not  satisfied  with  sac- 
rifices of  animals,  as  time  progressed,  they  came  to 
include  the  sacrifice  of  human  beings.  This  en- 
dowed the  priesthood  with  almost  unlimited  author- 
ity and  absolute  despotism  over  the  lives  of  men, 
and  furnished  a  means  for  the  gratification  of  re- 
venge and  the  indulgence  of  personal  hatred.  The 
Gods  were  appeased  by  sacrifices  of  those  opposed 
to  the  domination  of  the  priesthood. 

Thus  human  sacrifice  became  the  means  of  pro- 
pitiation for  sin;  the  method  of  satisfying  the 
demands  of  a  wrathful  and  exacting  deity. 

This  mode  of  sacrifice  and  atonement  clearly  led 
up  to  and  foreshadowed  the  doctrine  of  atonement, 
in  which  Jesus  was  the  central  figure  and  victim, 
the  same  idea  having  existed  in  pagan  religions, 
thousands  of  years  before  Christ  was  born. 

It  is  a  condition,  that  those  who  are  elected  to 
herald  the  law  and  command  of  God  to  the  human 
race,  must  be  ready  to  sacrifice  four  things,  namely, 
— life,  family,  wealth  and  pride.  Many  prophets 
and  messengers  of  God,  preceded  Moses.  Symbols 
and  hieroglyphics  were  used  to  portray  what  lan- 
guage afterward  expressed.  The  symbol  of  life  was 
the  heifer  or  bull;  of  wealth,  the  she-goat  or  cow ; 
of  family,  the  ram ;  and  of  pride,  the  peacock. 
The  latter,  on  account  of  its  scarcity,  was  afterward 
changed  to  the  dove  or  pigeon,  thus  making  it 
easier  for  the  people  to  add  to  the  priests'  stores. 

The  prophets  unvaryingly  taught  that  spiritual 


1 88  The  Vicarious  Atonement. 

sacrifice  alone  was  potent  with  God,  but  the  He- 
brews, like  all  the  other  races,  corrupted  this 
requirement  into  oblations  of  material  significance, 
partly  through  desire  for  gain,  and  partly  through 
misunderstanding  of  the  symbols.  Thus  it  is  that 
we  find  in  the  Old  Testament,  the  continual  record 
of  material  sacrifices,  which  God  did  not  require, 
and  which,  by  the  mouths  of  His  holy  prophets, 
he  stigmatized  as  vain  oblations.  The  idea  or  doc- 
trine of  sacrifice  is  therefore,  erroneous,  and  a  cor- 
ruption of  the  truth  of  God.  It  had  its  origin  in 
priestcraft  and  misinterpretation.  Reason  repudi- 
ates it.  The  Word  of  God  condemns  it.  Christ's 
assent  to  the  words  of  the  scribe,  gives  us  clear 
comprehension  of  the  true  sacrifice  which  will 
benefit  the  soul. 

Mark  12,  33:  "And  to  love  Him  with  all  the 
heart,  and  with  all  the  understanding,  and  with  all 
the  soul,  and  with  all  the  strength,  and  to  love  his 
neighbor  as  himself,  is  more  than  all  whole  burnt 
offerings  and  sacrifices." 

In  "  Right  and  Wrong  Uses  of  the  Bible,"  by 
Rev.  Heber  Newton,  page  88,  "In  a  cruise  last 
summer  we  dropped  anchor  in  a  lovely  little  out-of- 
the-way  harbor  of  Buzzards  Bay,  which  proved  to 
be  near  Pocasset;  where,  not  long  ago,  a  pious 
man,  reading  the  Hebrew  tradition  of  Abraham 
and  Isaac,  as  a  real  command  of  the  Most  High, 
and  having  this  word  of  the  I^ord  borne  on  his 
mind,  as  spoken  to  himself,  murdered  his  child  in 
sacrifice  to  God — no  angel  interfering  to  stay  his 
knife: — He  simply  made  a  reductio  ad  absurdum 
of  this  use  of  the  Bible." 


CHAPTER  XI. 

CHRIST  AND   HIS  MISSION. 

All  the  Truth  is  in  the  Bible,  but  all  the  Bible 
is  not  the  Truth. 

In  determining  the  mission  of  Jesus  Christ,  we 
have  practically  no  other  historical  guidance  than 
the  record  of  the  New  Testament,  which  supple- 
ments in  its  form  and  narration,  the  scriptures  of 
the  Hebrews. 

The  authenticity  of  biblical  record  is,  therefore, 
pre-eminently  the  important  question  of  investiga- 
tion and  proof  upon  which  we  must  decide,  before 
code  or  creed,  doctrine  or  belief  can  be  securely 
founded.  Truth  need  not  fear  the  light,  nor  the 
analysis  of  human  reason. 

Investigation  and  higher  criticism,  in  the  true 
sense  of  spiritual  inquiry,  cannot  fail  to  fortify  fact, 
and  reveal  the  essence  of  inspiration  which  under- 
lies scriptural  record.  We  have  no  higher  duty 
than  that  of  seeking  the  light  of  this  inspiration, 
and  probing,  with  merciless  scrutiny,  whatever 
savors  of  error  and  superstition. 

The  claim  of  infallibility  for  the  scriptures,  can 
no  longer  be  maintained.  In  "  Right  and  Wrong 
Uses  of  the  Bible,"  page  82,  Rev.  Heber  Newton 
says  "  I  want  today  to  make  more  distinct,  certain 
wrong  uses  of  the  Bible  which  grow  out  of  the  old 
view  of  it ;  wrong  uses  from  which  great  mischiefs 


I90  Christ  and  His  Mission. 

have  come  to  the  cause  of  true  religion,  and  great 
trouble  to  individual  souls  ;  abuses  which  fall  away 
in  the  light  of  a  more  reasonable  understanding  of 
the  Bible.  The  Bible,  viewed  as  a  book  let  down 
from  heaven,  whose  real  '  Author '  is  God,  as  the 
Westminster  Catechism  affirmed ;  a  book  dictated 
to  chosen  penmen  and  written  out  by  their  amanu- 
enses under  a  direction  which  secured  them  against 
error  on  every  subject  on  which  they  treated  ;  a 
book  thus  given  to  the  world  to  be  an  authoritative 
and  infallible  oracle  for  human  information  on  all 
the  great  problems  of  life,  naturally  calls  for  uses 
which,  apart  from  this  theory,  are  gross  and  super- 
stitious abuses."  Also  quotation  on  page  i6i: 
"  Few,  if  any,  of  the  books  of  the  Bible  stand  now 
as  they  came  from  the  original  authors.  Nearly 
all  have  been  re-edited  ;  most  of  them  many  times. 
Some  of  them  have  been  worked  over  by  so  many 
hands,  and  have  undergone  so  many  and  serious 
changes  that  the  original  writer  would  scarcely 
identify  his  work." 

According  to  the  evidence  of  the  Bible  itself, 
many  of  the  sacred  writings  and  prophecies  be- 
queathed to  us  by  the  messengers  of  God,  have 
been  omitted  from  its  pages  or  excluded  as  un- 
canonical.  Joshua  10-13,  "  Is  not  this  written  in 
the  book  of  Jashar?";  also  II  Sam.  1,18:  "Be- 
hold, it  is  written  in  the  book  of  Jashar."  I 
Chron.  29,  29  :  "  Now  the  acts  of  David  the  King, 

behold,  they  are  written  in 

the  book  of  Nathan  the  prophet,  and  in  the  book 
of  Gad  the  seer."     II  Chron.  9,  29:     "Now  the 


Christ  and  His  Mission.  191 

rest  of  the  acts  of  Solomon are  they  not 

written  in  the  book  of  Nathan  the  prophet  and  in 
the  prophesy  of  Ahijah  the  Shilonite  and  in  the 
visions  of  Iddo  the  seer,  against  Jeroboam  the  son 
of  Nebat?  "  and  12,  15 :     "  Now  the  acts  of  Reho- 

boam are  they  not  written  in  the  book 

of  Shemaiah  the  prophet  and  of  Iddo  the  seer  con- 
cerning genealogies?"  also  20,   34:      "Now  the 

rest  of  the  acts  of  Jehosaphat behold, 

they  are  written  in  the  book  of  Jehn  the  son  of 
Hanani,"  etc. 

Judel,  14-15  :  (Revised  Version)  "And  to  these, 
also,  Enoch,  the  seventh  from  Adam,  prophesied 
saying :  *  Behold,  the  Lord  cometh  with  ten 
thousand  of  His  holy  ones,  to  execute  judgment 
upon  all  and  to  convict  all  the  ungodly  of  all  their 
works  of  ungodliness  which  they  have  ungodly 
wrought  and  of  all  the  hard  things  which  ungodly 
sinners  have  spoken  against  Him. ' " 

We  have  plain  testimony  in  the  words  of 
Christ,  that  at  his  time,  dogma  and  error  had  been 
substituted  in  the  scriptures,  for  the  command- 
ments of  God:  Matt.  15,  6-9.  (Revised  Version) 
"Ye  have  made  void  the  word  of  God  because  of 
your  tradition.  Ye  hypocrites!  Well  did  Isaiah 
prophesy  of  you,  saying :  'This  people  honoreth 
me  with  their  lips,  but  their  heart  is  far  from  me ; 
but  in  vain  do  they  worship  me,  teaching  as  their 
doctrines  the  precepts  of  men  ;'"  and  22,  29 :  "Ye 
do  err,  not  knowing  the  scriptures,  nor  the  power 
of  God."  Also  in  Mark  7,9:  "Full  well  do  ye 
reject  the  commandment  of  God,  that  ye  may  keep 
your  tradition." 


192  Christ  and  His  Mission. 

As  Christianity  is  founded  upon  the  assump- 
tion that  Christ  was  the  fulfillment  of  the  prophecies 
of  the  Old  Testament,  the  record  of  his  life,  mis- 
sion, and  teachings,  contained  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment, must  be  considered  the  focus  of  spiritual 
interest,  and  the  battleground  of  conflicting 
opinion. 

Concerning  the  origin  and  authenticity  of  the 
books  of  the  New  Testament,  Doellinger  says: 
"The  first  to  narrate  the  life  and  teachings  of 
Jesus,  was  St.  Matthew.  He  wrote  his  gospel  in 
the  Hebrew  (i.  e.  Aramaic)  language — primarily 
for  the  Christians  of  Palestine. " 

"This  Aramaic  original  has  long  been  lost. 
From  the  second  century  at  least,  the  Church 
knew  and  used  only  a  Greek  translation,  the 
authorship  of  which  was  unknown  even  in  ancient 
times ;  how  far  it  is  an  exact  or  a  free  rendering  of 
the  Aramaic  text,  it  is  impossible  to  say.  The 
quotations  from  the  Old  Testament,  frequently 
differ  both  from  the  Alexandrian  version  and  the 
Hebrew  text.  St.  Matthew  is  certainly  the  oldest 
gospel — that  he  wrote  first  and  wrote  in  Hebrew, 
is  the  tradition  of  the  ancient  church — represented 
by  a  line  of  witnesses  stretching  far  back  into 
Apostolic  time  and  commencing  with  Papias  (who 
was  a  hearer  of  John  and  a  companion  of  Poly  carp), 
which  was  never  questioned  by  any  ancient 
authority.  A  quarter  of  a  century  passed  from 
the  Ascension,  before  anything  was  written  at  all, 
and  those  who  then  began  to  write,  were  led  to  do 
so  from  special  circumstances  and  had   no  idea  of 


Christ  and  His  Mission.  193 

leaving  behind  them  religious  documents  or  full 
confession  of  faith.  None  of  the  apostles  held  it 
necessary  to  collect  and  put  on  record  in  one  or 
more  written  documents,  a  summary  of  his  oral 
teaching — nor  have  any  done  so ;  still  less  could 
there  be  any  design  of  the  writings  of  separate 
apostles  being  made  to  supplement  each  other  and 
combine  into  a  general  statement  of  Christian 
doctrine.  Every  one  wrote  as  particular  circum- 
stance or  local  need  required — to  supply  the  want 
of  personal  intercourse,  to  confirm  what  he  had 
taught  already  by  word  of  mouth,  to  answer  ques- 
tions, resolve  doubts,  denounce  errors  etc  St. 
Paul  attached  greater  weight  to  his  oral  teaching 
than  to  his  writings.  The  apostles  wrote  to  recall 
what  had  been  orally  taught,  and  the  contents  of 
these  epistles  are  chiefly  practical.  The  writings 
which  make  up  what  afterward  became  the  New 
Testament,  were  composed  between  54  and  98  A.  D. 
The  church,  therefore,  had  been  guided  by  oral 
teaching  under  the  immediate  jinfluence  of  Christ 
and  the  Apostles,  for  more  than  twenty  years  be- 
fore a  word  of  it  was  written.  It  was  nowhere 
said  or  assumed  in  these  most  ancient  documents, 
that  men  were  to  take  the  writings  of  the  apostles 
and  their  disciples,  for  the  sole  rule  of  faith  and 
discipline  and  to  seek  in  them  alone,  the  knowl- 
edge of  God's  revelations." 

"  Neither  was  it  anywhere  said  or  hinted  that 
the  Apostles  had  written  down  all  that  was  essen- 
tial for  believers  or  all  that  they  had  taught  by 
word  of  mouth.     At  the  end  of  his  earthly  course, 


194  Christ  and  His  Mission. 

St.  Paul  referred  to  his  disciple,  Timothy,  not  to 
his  epistles  or  the  writings  of  the  other  Apostles, 
but  to  what  he  had  heard  him  teach  orally ;  that 
teaching  he  was  to  hand  on  to  trustworthy  men  to 
be  faithfully  preserved  and  imparted.  II  Timothy 
2,  2  :  "And  the  things  that  thou  hast  heard  of  me 
among  many  witnesses,  the  same  commit  thou  to 
faithful  men, '  who  shall  be  able  to  teach  others 
also."  It  was  then,  this  oral  tradition  which  ap- 
peared to  Paul  the  fittest  means  for  securing  Chris- 
tian doctrines  pure  and  genuine,  to  after  generations, 
when  the  first .  generation  of  disciples  were  passed 
away.  Even  when  he  referred  to  an  earlier  Epistle, 
(II  Thessalonians,  2,  '15:  "Therefore,  brethren, 
stand  fast,  and  hold  the  traditions  which  ye  have 
been  taught,  whether  by  word  or  our  epistle"),  he 
did  not  forget  to  niention  first  what  they  had  been 
taught  by  "word,"  as  the  richer  source  of  informa- 
tion." , 

The  two  great  reasons  which  influenced  the 
early  Christians  in  corrupting-  the  New  Testament, 
were,  first, — attributing  the  salvation  of  mankind 
to  the  shedding  of  Christ's  blood,  and,  second, — 
mistaking  his  personality.  It  is  clearly  evident 
that  many  interpolations  ekist  which  were  add^d 
to  make  the  original  text  conform  to  the  dogma 
that  salvation  is  obtainable  £)nly  through  the  blood 
of  Jesus. 

According  to  John  3,  3 :  (Revised  Version) 
Christ  said  "  Except  a  man  be  born  again,"  etc. 
In  the  5th  verse  the  addition  is  made,  ' '  Except  a 
man  be  bom  pf  water  and  the  spirit.? 


Christ  and  His  Mission.  195 

John  6,  51  :  (Revised  Version)  "  I  am  the  liv- 
ing bread  which  came  down  out  of  heaven;  if  any 
man  eat  of  this  bread,  he  shall  live  forever; 
yea,  and  the  bread  which  I  will  give,  is  my  flesh, 
for  the  life  of  the  world." 

To  any  Reasonable  mind,  it  is  manifest  that  the 
last  statement  in  this  quotation,  is  an  addition  to 
the  original  text.  We  know  that  the  flesh  of  Jesus 
was  matter,  not  spirit,  and  that  it  came  from  the 
earth,  not  from  heaven.  The  real  spiritual  "bread" 
is  the  truth  which  Jesus  received  from  the  Father, 
for  the  nourishment  of  our  souls. 

By  receiving  and  accepting  it,  we  shall  live  for- 
ever. In  the  63d  verse  of  the  same  chapter,  Jesus 
explained  this  fact  to  his  disciples,  by  saying:  **It 
is  the  spirit  that  quickeneth;  the  flesh  profiteth 
nothing ;  the  words  that  I  have  spoken  unto  you, 
(they)  are  spirit  and  (they)  are  life." 

The  question  is  often  asked,  "  Since  both  genu- 
ine and  spurious  teachings  are  found  in  the  Gospel, 
sometimes  side  by  side  in  the  same  verse,  how  are 
we  to  distinguish  them?"  As  an  appeal  to  the 
original  utterance  or  record  is  impossible,  there 
can  be  no  other  way  of  separating  the  truth  from 
error,  than  by  the  exercise  of  reason  and  common 
sense.  Of  two  statements  in  exact  opposition,  we 
should  accept  the  one  which  is  in  harmony  with 
reason,  and  reject  the  other. 

The  commandment  of  God  unto  Moses,  in  Deu- 
teronomy 18,  20-22,  sanctions  this,  "  But  the  prophet 
which  shall  presume  to  speak  a  word  in  my  name 
which  I  have  not  commanded  him  to  speak,  or  that 


196  Christ  and  His  Mission. 

shall  speak  in  the  name  of  other  gods,  even  that 
prophet  shall  die.  And  if  thou  say  in  thine  heart, 
how  shall  we  know  the  word  which  the  Lord  hath 
not  spoken?  When  a  prophet  speaketh  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord,  if  the  thing  follow  not,  nor 
come  to  pass,  that  is  the  thing  which  the  Lord 
hath  not  spoken,  but  the  prophet  had  spoken  pre- 
sumptuously.    Thou  shalt  not  be  afraid  of  him." 

The  second  great  reason  which  led  to  the  cor- 
ruption of  the  New  Testament  scriptures,  was  the 
endeavor  to  prove  that  Jesus  of  Nazareth  fulfilled 
the  prophecies  of  the  Jews;  that  he  was  the 
Messiah,  Shiloh,  The  Everlasting  Father,  The 
Prince  of  Peace,  long  promised  and  expected. 

In  "Christ  and  Other  Masters,"  page  91, 
Hardwick  says,  "  F.  W.  Newman  informs  us  that 
the  Christian  church  has  been  crippled  ever  since 
the  first  century  by  its  acquiescence  in  the  follow- 
ing proposition,  viz. — that  the  Jewish  teacher 
Jesus,  fulfilled  the  conditions  requisite  to  constitute 
him  the  Messiah  of  the  ancient  Hebrew  prophets. " 
He  adds — page  225 — "That  the  heavy  yoke  im- 
posed upon  Christians  of  the  present  day,  arises 
from  our  claiming  Messiahship  for  Jesus." 

Also  page  92,  quoted  from  Newman  page  194 — 
"  One  of  the  first  passages  in  which  both  Jews  and 
Christians  of  all  times  have  recognized  the  promise 
of  a  personal  Messiah,  is  Gen.  49,  8-10  (Shiloh 
prophecy).  Whether  the  word  means  'Man  of 
Rest,'  the  Rest-Bringer  corresponding  to  the  Prince 
of  Peace,  in  Isa.  9,  6,  or  the  plain  Shiloh,  the  fulfil- 
ment of  Jacob's  language,  is  in  every  case  removed 


Christ  and  His  Mission.  197 

into  a  distant  future.  The  same  is  equally  true 
of  the  next  important  prophecy  mentioned  in 
Numbers  24,  17,  for  whether  the  "Star  Out  of 
Jacob  "  be  an  image  of  the  Israelitish  royalty  in 
general,  or  of  an  actual  king  like  David,  or  of 
Christ  himself,  the  King  of  Israel,  a  mighty  inter- 
val exists  between  the  date  of  the  prediction  and 
the  earliest  fulfillment  of  it.  Other  instances  are 
the  2nd  and  72nd  Psalms,  the  latter  of  which, 
Newman  urges,  "was  never  fulfilled  by  any  his- 
torical king." 

Jesus  Christ  is  the  central  figure  of  history  and 
humanity.  Had  we  no  other  evidence  of  the  para- 
mount greatness  of  his  personality  than  the  devo- 
tion of  his  life  to  the  elevation  of  the  human  race, 
this  alone  were  sufficient  to  command  our  belief  in 
him  and  in  his  mission.  The  claims  made  for  him 
by  his  followers  ;  claims  which  find  no  substantia- 
tion in  his  estimate  of  himself,  have  been  fiercely 
and  justly  assailed,  but  not  one  drop  of  the  venom 
of  attack  and  abuse  have  sullied  the  purity  and 
lustrous  perfection  of  his  personality.  Opinion  is 
a  unit  concerning  the  perfection  of  the  Christ  char- 
acter. Concerning  his  function  and  mission  to 
humanity,  however,  there  is  a  strong  divergence  of 
opinion.  Generally  speaking,  we  may  say  that 
Jesus  was  either  the  incarnate  God,  or  a  prophet 
Practically,  all  Christendom  inclines  toward  the 
former  conception  of  him,  while  the  actual  facts 
and  proofs  are  overwhelmingly  in  support  of  his 
mission  as  a  prophet  and  teacher.  Christ  himself 
dealt  vigorously  and  unsparingly  with  error.    His 


198  Christ  and  His  Mission. 

teachings,  impregnable  in  defense,  glowed  with 
the  power  and  purpose  of  attack.  He  never  tem- 
pered or  qualified  the  truth.  His  words  abound 
with  such  stinging  epithets  as  "hypocrites," 
*'whited  sepulchres,"  "generation  of  vipers," 
"swine,"  "thieves,"  and  "blind  guides."  His 
blows  were  sledge-hammer  blows ;  his  inspiration 
fearless.  As  he  exercised  no  leniency  toward  error 
and  false  doctrine,  we  should  likewise  seek  out 
and  denounce  all  falsity  of  teaching  and  interpreta- 
tion, particularly  in  connection  with  the  mission 
and  function  of  Christ  himself.  Jesus  was,  as  he 
claimed  to  be,  divinely  illumined  by  the  powers  of 
God,  but  he  was  not  of  the  essence  of  God.  The 
claim  that  he  was  God  in  essence,  cannot  be  sup- 
ported inside  or  outside  the  Bible. 

Nowhere  in  the  Scriptures,  does  Jesus  Christ 
claim  to  be  God.  Belief  that  he  was  divine  in  soul 
essence,  is  rapidly  giving  way  to  the  certain  and 
more  reasonable  truth  that  God  manifested  Him- 
self in  Christ,  and  that  the  God-powers  of  illumina- 
tion shone  through  him  as  a  prophet,  messenger, 
teacher  or  manifestation  of  God.  In  fact,  this,  the 
correct  estimate  of  Christ,  is  almost  universally 
held,  although  the  majority  of  Christian  believers 
are  without  the  courage  to  acknowledge  it  openly. 
If  analyzed,  however,  this  belief  in  the  divinity  of 
Christ,  resolves  itself  into  the  confession  that  he 
was  not  God  in  essence,  but  in  manifestation.  It 
has  been  shown  that  the  perfection  of  God  cannot 
be  divided.  This  impregnable  truth  annihilates 
the  claim  that  Christ  was  God  in  essence.     We 


Christ  and  His  Mission.  199 

must  acknowledge  it,  and  when  we  do,  there  is  no 
longer  any  question. 

If  Christ  was  God,  he  knew  it.  He  does  not 
claim  it.  It  could  not  be  possible  to  find  more  ab- 
solute and  irresistible  proof  than  this,  that  Jesus 
was  not  God,  but  a  prophet  of  God.  He  was  a 
prophet  as  Moses  was  a  prophet.  Moses  foretold 
th^  coming  of  Christ  Christ  repeated  and  verified 
the  prophecy  of  Moses  when  he  said' — John  5,  46- 
47,  "  For  had  ye  believed  Moses,  ye  would  have 
believed  me ;  for  he  wrote  of  me.  But  if  ye  be- 
lieve not  his  writings,  how  shall  ye  believe  my 
words?"  This  is  a  clear  confession  from  the  lips 
of  Christ,  that  he  was  the  prophet  promised  and 
foretold  by  Moses, — Deut'.  18,  15-19,  "The  Lord 
thy  God  will  raise  up  unto  thee  a  Prophet  from  the 
midst  of  thee,  of  thy  brethren,  like  uuto  me ;  unto 
him  ye  shall  harken.  According  to  all  that  thou 
desiredst  of  the  lyprd  thy  God  in  Horeb  in  the  day 
of  the  assembly,  saying,  let  me  not  hear  again  the 
voice  of  the  Lord  my  God,  neither  let  me  see  this 
great  fire  any  more,  that  I  die  not  And  the  Lord 
said  unto  me,  they  have  well  spoken  that  which 
they  have  spoken. 

''  I  will  raise  them  up  a  Prophet  from  among 
their  brethren,  like  unto  thee,  and  will  put  my 
words  in  his  mouth ;  and  he  shall  speak  unto  them 
all  that  I  shall  command  him.  And  it  shall  come 
to  pass  that  whosoever  shall  hot  hearken  unto  my 
words  which  he  shall  speak  in  my  napie,  I  will  re- 
quire it  of  him." 

That  Christ  was  the  fulfillment  of  this  prophecy, 


200  Christ  and  His  Mission. 

is  evidenced  in  Acts  3,  22  :  "  For  Moses  truly  said 
unto  the  fathers,  a  prophet  shall  the  Lord  your 
God  raise  up  unto  you,  of  your  brethren,  like  unto 
me :  him  shall  ye  hear  in  all  things,  whatsoever 
he  shall  say  unto  you. "  23d  verse,  "And  it  shall 
come  to  pass  that  every  soul  which  will  not  hear 
that  prophet,  shall  be  destroyed  from  among  the 
people."  Also  in  Hebrews  3,  1-3  "Wherefore, 
holy  brethren,  partakers  of  the  heavenly  calling, 
consider  the  Apostle  and  High  Priest  of  our  profes- 
sion, Christ  Jesus :  Who  was  faithful  to  Him  that 
appointed  him,  as  also  Moses  was  faithful  in  all 
his  house.  For  this  man  was  counted  worthy  of 
more  glory  than  Moses." 

In  further  proof  and  confirmation  that  Christ 
was  a  prophet,  and  so  declared  himself  to  be,  we 
find — John  4,  43-44,  "  Now  after  two  days  he  de- 
parted thence  and  went  into  Galilee.  For  Jesus 
himself  testified  that  a  prophet  hath  no  honor  in 
his  own  country."  Also  Mark  6,  3-4,  "Is  not  this 
the  carpenter,  the  son  of  Mary,  the  brother  of 
James  and  Joses,  of  Juda  and  Simon,  and  are  not 
his  sisters  here  with  us  ?  And  they  were  ofiended 
at  him.  But  Jesus  said  unto  them,  a  prophet 
is  not  without  honor  but  in  his  own  country,  and 
among  his  own  kin,  and  in  his  own  house."  Also 
lyuke  4,  24 :  "  And  he  said,  verily  I  say  unto  you, 
no  prophet  is  accepted  in  his  own  country."  Also 
John  I,  45  :  ''  Philip  findeth  Nathaniel  and  saith 
unto  him,  we  have  found  him,  of  whom  Moses  in 
the  law  and  the  prophets  did  write,  Jesus  of 
Nazareth,  the  son  of  Joseph." 


Christ  and  His  Mission.  201 

Even  to  the  end  of  his  days,  he  taught  that  he 
was  a  prophet ;  Luke  13,  33:  "Nevertheless,  I  must 
walk  today,  and  tomorrow,  and  the  day  following, 
for  it  cannot  be  that  a  prophet  perish  out  of  Jerusa- 
lem." 

In  the  chapter  upon  the  "Unity  of  God,"  we 
have  seen  that  Christ  bore  witness  that  God  the 
Father  was  greater  than  he,  and  continually 
acknowledged  himself  subordinate  to  the  Father. 
While  he  lived,  no  claim  that  he  was  the  Messiah, 
was  made  for  him  or  by  him.  This  assumption 
was  a  later  outcome.  In  the  "History  of  Chris- 
tianity of  the  Apostolic  Age,"  by  McGiffert; — 
"There  is  no  hint  in  our  original  sources  that 
John  the  Baptist  knew  while  he  was  still  preaching 
that  the  Messiah  was  already  come,  or  that  he  had 
any  idea  when  he  would  appear.  It  is  significant 
that  though,  perhaps  some  of  John's  disciples  later 
became  followers  of  Jesus,  not  all  of  them  did. 
Indeed,  they  continued  to  maintain  their  separate 
and  independent  existence  as  a  sort  of  Johannine 
sect  for  many  years,  and  almost  a  generation  after 
their  leader's  death,  some  of  them  at  least  were 
still  expecting  the  Messiah  of  whom  he  had 
spoken."  And  again,  "In  fact,  his  thought  re- 
specting the  Messiah  and  his  work,  moved  wholly 
along  traditional  lines.  His  conceptions  were 
based  apparently  not  upon  a  special  revelation  of 
his  own,  received  directly  from  God,  nor  upon  any 
personal  knowledge  that  he  h^d  of  Jesus.  This 
substantiates  the  record  in  the  Book  of  Acts,  19,  i; 
Paul  found  certain  disciples  "and  he  said  unto 


202  Christ  and  His  Mission. 

them,  have  ye  received  the  Holy  Ghost  since  ye  be- 
lieved? And  they  said  unto  him,  we  have  not  so 
much  as  heard  whether  the  Holy  Ghost  was  given. 
And  he  said,  into  what  then  were  ye  baptized? 
and  they  said  into  John's  baptism." 

It  being  clearly  evident  that  Jesus  was  a  prophet, 
we  come  now  to  consider  his  special  mission  upon 
the  earth.  If  it  was  not  redemption,  what  was  it  ? 
There  is  no  stronger  answer  to  this  question  than 
his  own  words  —  Luke  4,  43:  (Revised  Version) 
"  But  he  said  unto  them,  I  must*  preach  the  good 
tidings  of  the  Kingdom  of  God  to  the  other  cities 
also,  for  therefore  was  I  sent."  His  special  mis- 
sion, therefore,  was  to  proclaim  the  coming  of  the 
Kingdom  of  God  upon  the  'earth.  At  the  very 
commencement  of  his .  ministry,  he  announced 
this  —  Matthew  4,  17:  '•'From  that  time,  Jesus 
began  tO  preach,  and  to  say  repent !  for  the  King- 
dom of  Heaven  is  at  hand." 

His  function  as  a  prophet  sent  to  announce 
this  great  event,  is  enunciated  in  the  Book  of 
Revelations  I,  i:  ''The  revelations  of  Jesus 
Christ  which  God  gave  unto  him,  to  show  unto 
His  servants  things  which  must  shortly  come  to 
pass."  What  are  these  "things?"  Unmistak- 
ably, the  signs  and  events  which  shall  precede  and 
herald  the  coming  of  the  Kingdom,  and  which  are 
specified  in  .prophetic  detail  throughout  ,the  whole 
book  of  Revelations.  The  Revelations  of  Jesus, 
are  therefore,  the  prophecies  of  Jesus ;  the  mes- 
sage sent  through  him  to  the  world,  by  God,  who ' 
is  to  come.     Rev.  1,-4:     "  Grace  to  you,  and  peace. 


Christ  and  His  Mission.  203 

from  Him  which  is,  and  which  was,  and  which  is 
to  come;  (i.  e.  God,  the  Father,)  and  from  the 
seven  spirits  which  are  before  His  throne,  and  from 
Jesus  Christ,  the  Faithful  Witness."  Plainly,  the 
One  "which  is, 'was,  and  is  to  come,'*  is  not  the 
third  party — Jesus,  the  Faithful  Witness,  —  but 
God,  the  Father,  Himself. 

Abundant  scriptural  proof  exists  that  Jesus  pro- 
claimed this  to  be  his  special  mission — Matt.  4,  23: 
(Revised  Version)  "Jesus  went  about  in  all  Gali- 
lee, teaching  in  their  synagogues  and  preaching 
the  gospel  of  the  kingdom,"  *etc.,  Matt.  6,  33: 
"Seek  ye  first  His  (God's)  Kingdom,  and  His 
righteousness,"  etc..  Matt.  13,  11:  "Unto  you  it  is 
given  to  know  the  mysteries  of  the  kingdom  pf 
heaven,  but  to  them  it  is  not  given. "  Matt.  24, 
14:  "And  this  gospel 'of  the  kingdom  shall  be 
preached  in  the  whole  world,  for  a^  testimony  to 
all  the  nations,"  etc.  Luke  8,  i  :  "  .  .  .  He 
went  about  through  cities  and  villages,  preaching 
and  bringing  the  good  tidings  of  the  kingdom  of 
God."  Luke  9,  2  :  "And  he  sent  them  forth  to 
preach  the  kingdom  of  God  and  to  heal  the  sick." 
Luke  9,  II :  "And  he  welcomed  them,  and  spake 
to  them  of  the  kingdom  of  God." 

It  may  be  contended  that  the  Kingdom  of  God 
and  that  of  Jesus,  are  identical ;  that  the  Kingdom 
of  God  was  established  upon  the  earth  by  Jesus. 
Against  this  theory,  there  is  the  potent  fact  that 
Jesus  in  Matt.  6,  10:  taught  his  disciples  to  pray 
"  Thy  kingdom  come;  Thy  will'  be  done  on  earth 
as  it  is  in  heaven."     If  the  spiritual  dominion  of 


204  Christ  and  His  Mission. 

Jesus  was  identical  with  the  Kingdom  of  God,  he 
would  not  have  uttered  this  prayer  for  its  coming. 
There  could  be  no  need  of  praying  for  that  which 
had  already  come.  Again  in  Matt.  26,  29 :  "  But 
I  say  unto  you,  I  will  not  henceforth  drink  of  this 
fruit  of  the  vine  until  that  day  when  I  drink  it 
new  with  you  in  my  Father's  Kingdom." 

These  words  of  Christ's,  established  the  addi- 
tional fact  and  truth,  that  the  Kingdom  of  God 
should  be  set  up  on  earth,  for  there  can  be  no  vines 
and  no  drinking  in  a  spiritual  Kingdom.  Again 
in  Luke  14,  15:  (Revised  Version)  "And  when 
one  of  them  that  sat  at  meat  with  him  heard  these 
words,  he  said  unto  him,  blessed  is  he  that  shall  eat 
bread  in  the  Kingdom  of  God." 

From  this  and  other  abundant  testimony,  we 
arrive  at  the  conclusions,  first,  that  the  Kingdom 
of  Jesus  was  not  the  promised  Kingdom  of  God; 
second,  that  the  Kingdom  of  God  has  not  yet  been 
established;  third,  that  the  Kingdom  of  God  would 
not  be  a  spiritual  kingdom,  but  would  be  estab- 
lished upon  the  earth. 

Christ  prophesied  of  the  latter  fact  in  Luke  21, 
31:  "So,  likewise  ye,  when  ye  see  these  things 
come  to  pass,  know  ye  that  the  Kingdom  of  God 
is  nigh  at  hand."  By  this  prophetic  utterance,  he 
taught  that  the  Kingdom  of  God  would  be  estab- 
lished upon  earth  after  certain  signs  had  appeared 
and  certain  events  had  transpired ;  adding  the 
warning,  "Watch,  therefore,  for  ye  know  not 
when  the  Lord  of  the  house  cometh. " 

Christ  therefore  clearly  announced  and  explained 


Christ  and  His  Mission.  205 

his  mission,  which  was  to  preach  the  glad  tidings 
of  the  coming  of  the  Kingdom  of  God.  His  teach- 
ings and  prophecies  in  relation  to  it,  are  in  direct 
harmony  and  conformity  with  the  Old  Testament 
prophecies  which  proclaim  with  absolute  certainty, 
the  Kingdom  of  God  the  Everlasting  Father. 

Isaiah  9,  6 :  "  Unto  us  a  Child  is  bom,  unto  us 
a  Son  is  given,  and  the  government  shall  be  upon 
His  shoulder,  and  His  name  shall  be  called  Won- 
derful, Counsellor,  the  Mighty  God,  the  Everlasting 
Father,  the  Prince  of  Peace." 

By  no  possible  means,  can  it  be  shown  or  proved 
that  Jesus  was  the  Everlasting  Father,  the  Mighty 
God.  All  prophecy  is  in  harmony  upon  the  point 
of  announcement  that  God  Himself  was  to  come 
in  His  Kingdom.  If  Jesus  failed  to  fulfil  prophecy 
in  any  one  point,  he  failed  in  all ;  and,  since  he  re- 
peated the  proclamation  of  prophets  who  preceded 
him,  it  is  evident  that  he  could  not  have  been  the 
fulfillment  of  the  prophecy  he  himself  uttered. 

In  his  parable  of  the  vineyard,  this  is  clearly 
proved;  Mark  12,  1-9,  (Revised  Version)  "And 
he  began  to  speak  unto  them  in  parables:  A  man 
planted  a  vineyard  and  set  a  hedge  about  it  and 
digged  a  pit  for  the  winepress  and  built  a  tower 
and  let  it  out  to  husbandmen  and  went  into  another 
country.  And  at  the  season  he  sent  to  the  hus- 
bandmen a  servant,  that  he  might  receive,  from 
the  husbandmen,  of  the  fruits  of  the  vineyard. 
And  they  took  him  and  beat  him  and  sent  him 
away  empty. 

"And  again  he  sent  unto  them  another  servant ; 


2o6  Christ  and  His  Mission. 

and  him  they  wounded  in  the  head  and  handled 
shamefully.  And  he  sent  another;  and  him  they 
killed.  And  many  others ;  beating  some  and  kill- 
ing some.  He  had  yet  one,  a  beloved  son;  he 
sent  him, last  unto  them  saying:  they  will  rever- 
ence my  son.  But  those  husbandmen  said  among 
themselves:  this  is  the  heir;  come,  let  us  kill 
him,  and  the  inheritance  shall  be  ours.  And  they 
took  him  and  killed  him  and  cast  him  forth  out  of 
the  vineyard.  ,  What  therefore  will  the  Lord  of  the 
vineyard  do  ?  He  will  come  and  destroy  the  hus- 
bandmen, and  will  give  the  vineyard  unto  others." 

In  this  inspired  teaching,  the  vineyard  symbol- 
izes the  human  race;  the  husbandmen  are  the 
priests  and  expositors  of  religion ;  the  servants  sent 
to  receive  the  fruits  of  the  vineyard,  are  the  prophets 
and  apostles ;  the  Son  is  Jesus  Christ ;  and  the  Lord 
of  the  vineyard, .  is  God  the  Almighty  Father. 
This  parable  teaches  us  five  important  points: 

First: — The  prophets  and  messengers  whom  God 
has  sent  to  lead  humanity  to  Him,  have  been  har- 
assed and  persecuted  by  the  priesthood,  symbol- 
ized by  the  wicked  husbandmen.  History  shows 
this  conclusively.  They  have  been  beaten,  stoned, 
crucified  and  otherwise  martyred  for  teaching  the 
truth  of  God,  which  has  always  been  at  variance 
with  the  superstitions  of  the  priesthood. 

Second: — God  sent  Jesus,  His  Son,  to  the  vine- 
yard, as  a  prophet,  upon  the  same  mission  and 
purpose. 

Third: — The  son  was  not  sent  to  redeem  the 
vineyard,  therefore  Jesus  was  not  sent  to  redeem 


Christ  and  His  Mission.  207 

the  world.  By  this  parable,  Jesus  plainly  confessed 
that  his  mission,  like  the  missions  of  all  the  other 
prophets,  had  proved  a  failure.  The  son  of  the 
Lord  of  the  vineyard  was  not  able  to  secure  the 
fruit  of  the  vineyard,  or  save  it  from  the  hands  of 
the  husbandmen,  but  like  all  the  other  messengers 
who  preceded  him,  was  killed,  and,  in  addition, 
cast  out  of  the  vineyard. 

Fourth: — No  one  but  God  Himself,  the  Ever- 
lasting Father,  the  Lord  and  Creator  of  the  vine- 
yard, has  power  to  save  it.  Shall  we,  after  this 
confession  by  Jesus  that  his  mission  was  a  failure, 
dare  to  asSume  that  he  is  the  Saviour  of  the  world, — 
.the  vineyard  ?  Shall  we  not  rather  accept  his  own 
words  and  teaching,  that  God  is  the  Saviour  of  the 
vineyard?  Jesus  was  not  the  Redeemer  of  the 
world,  and  did  not,  of  his  own  will,  offer  himself 
to  die  for  the  redemption  of  the  worlds  The  wicked 
husbandmen,  the  priests,  killed  him  a^  they  kiljed 
the  other  messengers  of  God.  ■ 

Fifth : — God  the  Father  will  come,  destroy  these 
wicked  husbandmen,  and  deliver  the  vineyard  to 
others.  In  this  way,  God  Himself  will  save  His 
vineyard,  because  He  is  the  only  One  who  has  the 
power  to  accomplish  it,^rthe  only  One  whose  pur- 
poses tnever  fail.  God  alone  is  the  Saviour  of 
mankind.  Isaiah  45,.  15:  "O  God  of  Israel,  the 
Saviour."  Isa.  45,  22:  "  Look  unto  me,  and  be  ye 
saved,  all  the  ends  of  the  earth ;  for  I  am  God  and 
there  is  none  else."  Isaiah  43,  11 :  ^*I,  even  I,  am 
the  Lord;  and  besides  me  there  is  nq  Saviour." 

We  therefore  are  taught  by  God  Himself,  through 


2o8  Christ  and  His  Mission. 

Christ  and  all  the  other  prophets,  that  He,  the 
Everlasting  Father,  the  Creator  and  Lord  of  the 
Vineyard  is  the  Saviour  of  mankind,  and  shall 
Himself  come  to  save  us.  God  is  therefore  the 
Messiah,  Shiloh,  Prince  of  Peace,  Redeemer;  and 
Jesus  Christ  was  the  greatest  of  His  prophets. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

SAI,VATION. 

What  is  salvation  ?  How  shall  we  be  saved,  and 
what  are  the  means  whereby  we  may  obtain  for- 
giveness for  our  sins  ? 

These  are  questions  which  follow  recognition  of 
the  truth  that  Jesus  Christ  was  not  the  Saviour  of 
the  world.  Salvation  is  not  escape  or  exemption 
from  the  everlasting  torture  of  hell.  True  salva- 
tion is  the  victory  of  accomplishment  by  the  soul ; 
the  attainment  of  a  privilege  afforded  us  by  God,  in 
allowing  us  to  come  upon  the  earth. 

Hell  is  eternal  regret  for  the  loss  of  that  privi- 
lege ;  hell  is  the  soul's  failure  to  accomplish. 

To  understand  this  thoroughly,  we  must  find  out 
what  sin  is,  and  what  particular  sin  will  cause  the 
loss  of  the  opportunity  granted  us.  In  our  earthly 
environment,  from  the  weakness  of  our  human 
nature,  sin  is  inevitable.  The  Scriptures  teach 
this — Psa.  14,3:  "They  are  all  gone  aside  ;  they 
are  all  together  become  filthy ;  there  is  none  that 
doeth  good,  no  not  one." 

Sin  is  the  performance  of  any  action  harmful  to 
ourselves  or  to  others.  There  are  three  kinds 
of  sin. 

First: — Mistakes  and  ignorances. 

Second: — Violations  of  moral  laws. 

Third: — Neglect  of  spiritual  duties. 
309 


2IO  Salvation. 

To  illustrate  and  make  clear  the  distinction 
between  these  three  kinds  of  sin,  we  will  take  for 
example,  a  gymnastic  performer  who  walks  from 
point  to  point  upon  a  tightly  stretched  wire  or 
rope.  As  he  goes,  we  notice  his  wavering,  his 
constant  struggle  to  maintain  his  equilibrium,  in 
spite  of  which  he  may,  by  persistent  care  and 
effort,  reach  the  other  side.  So  long  as  he  main- 
tains his  position  upon  the  wire  and  persists  in  his 
progress  forward,  he  will  be  successful.  His  jour- 
ney from  point  to  point,  symbolizes  the  accomplish- 
ment of  our  spiritual  journey.  We  start  at  birth 
and  finish  at  death,  our  journey  to  God.  Failure, 
through  ignorance,  to  make  this  journey,  is  the 
first  kind  of  sin,  which  God,  in  His  justice,  cannot 
excuse.  If  we  ignorantly  neglect  our  opportunity 
to  seek  and  reach  God,  we  must  bear  the  conse- 
quences of  failure. 

The  constant  waverings  of  the  performer,  from 
side  to  side,  which  threaten  to  destroy  his  balance 
and  cast  him  to  the  earth,  represent  our  sinful 
violations  of  moral  laws.  These  sins  continually 
threaten  to  overthrow  our  spiritual  accomplish- 
ment. When  they  do,  they  destroy  our  opportunity 
of  reaching  God,  yet  as  we  have  seen,  it  is  possible 
for  us,  in  spite  of  them,  to  maintain  our  equilibrium 
and  progress  sufficiently  to  accomplish  our  spiritual 
journey  and  duty. 

Refusal  to  seek  and  reach  God,  is  the  sin  of 
neglecting  our  spiritual  duties  ;  the  paramount  sin 
of  human  independence,  the  consequences  of  which 
are  final.     This  sin  determines  the  conditions  of 


Salvation.  211 

our  existence  in  the  hereafter.  Violations  of 
moralities  are  a  continual  drag  and  check  upon  our 
spiritual  duties.  The  way  to  God  is  a  pure  way, 
and  the  perfect  Christ-journey  is  an  unwavering, 
unfaltering  progress  from  birth  to  death,  toward 
God.  Although  moral  violations  are  not  neces- 
sarily final  in  their  consequences ;  although  we 
may  reach  God  after  many  waverings  and  falls 
from  uprightness,  yet  this  fact  does  not  allow  us 
latitude  in  our  obedience  to  moral  laws. 

Christ  is  our  pattern.  In  him,  we  find  the  per- 
fection of  moral  and  spiritual  accomplishment. 
No  immoral  man  can  be  thoroughly  spiritual. 
Our  spiritual  duties,  therefore,  exact  the  highest 
moralities.  Human  nature  is  weak,  and  our  incess- 
ant violations  of  moral  laws,  are  the  drag  upon 
our  spiritual  development.  They  are  the  waver- 
ings which  threaten  to  prevent  us  from  reaching 
God. 

The  Almighty  Creator  does  not  punish  sinners 
upon  this  earth  or  hereafter.  The  sinner  punishes 
himself;  pays  the  penalty  of  the  law  he  violates, 
and  reaps  what  he  has  sown.  The  scriptures 
teach  this  continually.  The  reasons  for  it  are  as 
follows:  First — No  one  can  sin  against  God,  be- 
cause God  cannot,  as  He  is  perfection,  be  affected 
by  the  sins  of  a  finite  creature.  If  our  sins  could 
affect  God,  He  would  not  be  Infinite  and  Perfect. 
Our  sins,  however,  affect  us  and  those  who  are 
finite  like  us. 

Second: — If  we  commit  sin,  we  will  be  punished 
and  suffer  for  it.      There  is  no  escape  from  the 


212  Salvation. 

consequences  of  violating  moral,  pliysical  or  spirit- 
ual law.  The  law  punishes,  and  the  sinner 
suffers  for  his  action.  As  we  suffer  for  these  viola- 
tions, it  is  unreasonable  to  claim  that  God  will 
inflict  double  punishment  upon  us.  We  cannot 
attribute  cruelty  to  Him  who  is  infinite  in  mercy. 
Third: — It  would  degrade  God  to  torture  us  by 
punishment  He  is  just  as  well  as  merciful.  His 
laws  are  everlasting  laws.  He  has  given  us  inde- 
pendence to  attain  a  high  privilege  or  to  reject  it. 
If  we  reject  it,  we  must,  under  the  ruling  of  His 
justice,  lose  that  privilege  eternally.  This  con- 
stitutes our  punishment.  To  many,  this  eternal 
loss  of  opportunity,  would  seem  to  savor  of  cruelty 
on  the  part  of  God.  In  reality,  however,  if  God 
did  not  enforce  this  just  punishment  upon  the 
soul  which  rejects  Him,  He  would  be  neither  just 
nor  firm,  but  changeable  and  unreliable,  and  if 
He  saved  us  today.  He  might  refuse  us  tomorrow. 
For  instance,  suppose  a  father  should  promise 
each  of  his  two  children,  a  reward  for  the  per- 
formance of  certain  actions,  and  that  one  of  them 
earns  the  reward,  while  the  other  forfeits  it. 
Would  the  father  show  himself  just  and  reli- 
able if  he  rewarded  the  two  children  equally? 
Likewise,  God  in  His  justice,  cannot  reward 
equally  a  soul  which  seeks  Him  and  a  soul  which 
rejects  Him.  We  read  in  the  scriptures,  that  the 
punishment  of  sin  is  severe,  and  in  reality  it  is  so, 
but  it  is  divinely  just,  and  administered  with  the 
same  impartiality  as  reward.  We  have  seen,  in 
considering  the  "  Return  of  the  Soul,"  that   the 


Salvation.  213 

justice  of  God  affords  to  all  souls  an  equal  oppor- 
tunity of  accomplishing  the  privilege  of  reaching 
Him. 

The  Bible  teaches  us  that  salvation,  entrance  into 
the  Kingdom  of  Heaven,  can  only  be  obtained  by 
coming  to  God,  whose  spirit,  working  in  our  souls, 
will  naturalize  them,  causing  them  to  be  born 
anew.  This  is  the  meaning  of  "  born  again,"  "born 
from  above,"  "  bom  of  the  Spirit,"  "  the  new  man," 
"baptism,"  "regeneration,"  etc.,  all  of  which  are 
different  expressions  for  the  same  thing. 

John's  Gospel,  3rd  Chapter,  3rd  verse,  reads 
"Verily,  verily  I  say  unto  you  ;  except  a  man  be 
born  again  he  cannot  see  the  Kingdom  of  God." 
Verse  6:  "That  which  is  bom  of  the  flesh,  is 
flesh ;  and  that  which  is  born  of  the  spirit  is 
spirit."  Matt.  19,  28:  "  And  Jesus  said  unto  them, 
Verily  I  say  unto  you  that  ye  which  have  fol- 
lowed me — in  the  regeneration,  when  the  Son  of 
man  shall  sit  in  the  throne  of  his  glory,  ye  also 
shall  sit  upon  twelve  thrones,  judging  the  twelve 
tribes  of  Israel." 

Thus  we  see  that  salvation,  eternal  happiness,  or 
entrance  into  the  Kingdom  of  God,  cannot  be 
gained  by  any  means  other  than  being  bom  of  the 
spirit.  According  to  Christ's  teaching,  salvation 
is  not  through  his  death.  Therefore  the  death 
of  his  body  cannot  save  any  of  the  human  race. 
From  the  words  of  Jesus,  it  is  obvious  that  no 
man  can  be  saved,  unless  bom  anew  of  the  spirit ; 
regenerated  ;  otherwise  he  will  not  have  the  privi- 
lege of  being  one  with  Jesus.     Now,  let  us  ask, 


214  Salvation. 

what  is  meant  by  regeneration  ; — by  being  bom  of 
the  spirit  ?  This  condition  is  approached  when  a 
man,  after  honest  and  careful  self-examination, 
finding  himself  weak,  ignorant,  selfish  in  action, 
and  unjust  in  his  dealings,  having  no  real  knowl- 
edge of  his  Creator,  and  fully  realizing  his  miser- 
able condition,  seeks  a  remedy  that  will  give  him 
permanent  relief  To  gain  this,  he  must  seek  with 
as  much  persistence,  as  the  hungry  and  thirsty 
seek  for  food  and  drink. 

On  finding,  as  he  will,  that  in  this  respect,  nobody 
can  give  him  help  (for  every  one  is  as  needful  as 
himself),  he  will  be  constrained  to  go  to  his 
Creator,  realizing  that  He  is  the  only  Saviour  ;  the 
only  source  of  all  life,  and  of  all  spiritual  gifts. 
God,  the  merciful  Creator,  the  All-Bountiful,  the 
All-Generous  one,  will  grant  to  each  soul  thus 
seeking  Him,  the  grace  of  regeneration,  which  will 
naturalize  that  soul  into  a  spiritual  state.  Thus 
the  seeker  is  born  of  the  Spirit. 

Until  we  know  God  in  reality,  we  cannot  claim 
to  be  His  children.  Those  who  do  so  claim,  and 
yet,  in  reality,  do  not  know  God,  are  claiming  that 
which  is  not  true ;  their  claim  being  based  upon 
an  occasional  feeling  or  emotion,  the  result  of 
excitement  of  the  nerves,  produced  by  eloquence 
or  fear,  and  usually  soon  passing  away,  leaving  no 
permanent  result.  True  regeneration,  as  described 
above,  is  that  of  which  Jesus  taught ;  and  through 
it,  only,  can  we  live  with  God  and  enjoy  His  Glori- 
ous Presence.  This  is  the  "Tree  of  I^ife"  which 
is  in  the  midst  of  the  "  Paradise  of  God."     Thus 


Salvation.  215 

are  we  naturalized  into  the  Divine  State,  by  the 
power  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  as  iron  is  magnetized 
by  the  power  of  the  magnet. 

This  great  gift  from  our  Heavenly  Father,  is 
from  His  infinite  bounty  and  beneficence.  Since 
we  are  already  indebted  to  Him  for  everything  we 
have,  what  can  we  offer  Him  for  His  mercy? 
Suppose  a  rich  and  generous  man  should  promise 
abundance  to  every  needy  person  who  would  come 
and  humbly  beg  for  help.  Could  we  truly  say  that 
the  suppliant  paid  the  value  of  the  gift  by  coming 
to  receive  it? 

Shall  we  say  that  because  he  begged  for  and  re- 
ceived assistance,  that  it  was  given  to  him  because 
of  his  merit?  So,  also,  if  we  come  to  God,  we 
will  be  born  from  above,  our  sins  and  iniquities 
will  never  be  mentioned,  and  we  will  be  forgiven 
freely.  He  has  promised  this  in  the  words  of  His 
Holy  Prophets  and  messengers.  Hos.  14,4:  **I 
will  heal  their  back  -  sliding,  I  will  love  them 
freely."  Isa.  55-7:  "Let  the  wicked  forsake  his 
way  and  the  unrighteous  man  his  thoughts  and  let 
him  return  unto  the  Lord,  and  He  will  have  mercy 
upon  him."  H  Chron.  7,14:  "If  My  people, 
which  are  called  by  My  name,  shall  humble  them- 
selves and  pray,  and  seek  My  face,  and  turn  from 
their  wicked  ways,  then  will  I  hear  from  heaven, 
and  forgive  their  sins,  and  will  heal  their  land." 
Jer.  31,  34:  "  And  they  shall  teach  no  more  every 
man  his  neighbor,  and  every  man  his  brother,  say- 
ing, know  the  Lord  ;  for  they  shall  all  know  Me, 
from  the  least  of  them  unto  the  greatest  of  them. 


2i6  Salvation. 

saith  the  lyord;  for  I  will  forgive  their  iniquity 
and  I  will  remember  their  sin  no  more."  Matt 
i8,  32-33:  "Then  his  I^ord,  after  that  He  had 
called  him,  said  unto  him,  thou  wicked  servant!  I 
forgave  thee  all  that  debt,  because  thou  desiredst 
Me ;  shouldst  not  thou  also  have  had  compassion 
on  thy  fellow  servant,  even  as  I  had  pity  on  thee?" 
Luke  6,  36-37  :  "  Be  ye  therefore  merciful,  as  your 
Father  also  is  merciful.  Judge  not,  and  ye  shall 
not  be  judged;  condemn  not,  and  ye  shall  not  be 
condemned  ;  forgive  and  ye  shall  be  forgiven." 

To  understand  this  question  more  thoroughly,  let 
us  carefully  consider  the  teachings  of  the  Master, 
Jesus,  in  reference  to  it;  his  doctrines  are  our 
standard ;  the  ground  upon  which  all  true  Chris- 
tians stand.  Mark  11,25:  "And  when  ye  stand 
praying,  forgive,  if  ye  have  aught  against  any; 
that  your  Father  also  which  is  in  heaven,  may  for- 
give you  your  trespasses."  Matt  6,  12:  **And 
forgive  us  our  debts  as  we  also  forgive  our  debtors. '  * 
Luke  II,  4 :  "  And  forgive  us  our  sins,  for  we  also 
forgive  every  one  that  is  indebted  to  us."  Had 
salvation  come  through  redemption,  through  the 
death  of  Jesus,  he  should  have  taught  us  to  pray 
thus:  "And  forgive  us  our  debts,  through  the 
death  of  Thy  Son,  as  we  forgive  our  debtors  by 
killing  our  children  and  sacrificing  them  for  our 
debtor's  sakes." 

That  salvation,  forgiveness  of  sin,  is  wholly  and 
entirely,  a  free  gift  from  our  loving  Father,  is 
plainly  taught  by  Jesus  and  all  the  other  prophets. 
Neither  the  blood  of  Jesus   nor   our   meritorious 


Salvation.  217 

deeds  are  required  as  a  price  thereof;  and  from  this 
we  learn,  that  we,  also,  should  freely  forgive  those 
who  have  wronged  us, — imitating  the  Father  by 
not  asking  reward  for  forgiving  others. 

From  this  we  learn  also,  that  not  only  is  salva- 
tion free,  but  that  whatever  God  grants  to  us, 
whether  forgiveness,  grace,  or  eternal  happiness,  is 
granted  freely.  Were  this  not  so,  where  would  be 
His  mercy  ?  Can  we  properly  call  Him  merciful, 
if  He  demanded  for  His  mercy,  the  sacrifice  of  Jesus, 
our  elder  brother  ? 

To  further  elucidate  this  condition,  let  us  liken 
the  Almighty  God — who  is  above  any  similitude — 
to  a  magnet ;  and  man  to  a  piece  of  iron.  When 
the  piece  of  iron  moves  toward  the  magnet,  the 
magnet  attracts  it,  drawing  it  nearer  and  nearer  to 
itself.  So,  if  we  move  one  step  toward  God,  He 
will  come  toward  us,  miles  and  leagues.  And,  as 
the  iron,  while  approaching  the  magnet,  gains 
more  and  more  of  the  magnet's  peculiar  qualities, 
until,  at  the  moment  of  contact,  it  becomes  fully 
magnetized,  so  the  soul,  drawing  nearer  unto  God, 
becomes  more  and  more  imbued  with  His  Spirit, 
until,  reaching  the  exalted  state  of  soul-contact 
with  Him,  it  is  then  fully  born  of  the  spirit  and  re- 
generated. 

When  we  reach  this  state  of  naturalization,  we 
will  be  fitted  to  be  grafted  into  God,  the  Tree  of 
Life,  that  is  to  say,  ready  to  be  adopted  as  His 
children  and  become  like  him.  Then  we  shall 
have  the  right  to  say  that  we  are  gods  and  the 
children  of  God ;  exactly  as  the  magnetized  iron. 


«i8  Salvation. 

when  fully  naturalized  into  the  nature  of  the  mag- 
net, is  itself  a  magnet.  So  also,  when  we  are  fully 
naturalized  into  the  Divine  nature,  and  grafted 
into  Him  by  adoption,  we  will  be  like  Him,  and 
one  with  Him,  as  Christ  taught  us  in  St.  John  17, 
11-20-21.  "Holy  Father,  keep  through  Thine 
own  name,  those  whom  Thou  hast  given  me,  that 
they  may  be  one  as  we  are.  Neither  pray  I 
for  these  alone,  but  for  them  also  which  shall  be- 
lieve on  me  through  their  word  ;  that  they  all 
may  be  one ;  as  thou  Father  art  in  me,  and  I  in 
Thee,  that  the  world  may  believe  that  Thou  hast 
sent  me. ' ' 

This  is  the  unity  of  which  Christ  taught ;  that 
every  believer  will  be  one  with  God ;  that  is  to 
say,  every  one  who  reaches  this  high  condition, 
will  lose  his  finite  nature  with  its  defects  and  de- 
ficiencies, and  will  have  the  nature  of  God,  which 
is  perfect  and  without  defects.  This  teaching 
corresponds  with  the  teachings  of  all  the  other 
great  religions. 

Our  religion  teaches  us,  that  our  high  elevation 
is  "Al  fana  bima  indana  wal  backa  bima  inda 
UUah  ;"  which  translated,  is,  "To  die  for  what  we 
have  and  live  for  what  God  has."  It  means  that 
when  we  reach  that  exalted  state,  we  will  cast 
away  our  finite  nature  and  have  the  Divine  Nature; 
become  like  our  Father,  and  be  one  with  Him. 

"  Fana,"  means  annihilation  or  death,  and  when 
we  attain  the  Divine  Nature,  our  human  nature 
will  be  annihilated.  This  is  the  meaning  of 
"Nirvana"  in  the  Brahamanical  writings  ;  spirit- 


Salvation.  219 

ual  liberty  and  bliss.  In  Buddhism,  "annihila- 
tion in  Nirvana,"  means  the  loss  of  all  per- 
sonal consciousness  and  identity,  which  is  con- 
trary to  what  Buddha  himself  taught.  We  will 
never  lose  our  identity  ;  we  will  never  lose  our 
personality.  God  gave  them  to  us,  and  whatever 
He  does  is  an  everlasting  law.  He  will  never, 
therefore,  regret  what  He  has  given  us,  and  take 
it  away  from  us.  The  Buddhists  have  corrupted 
the  teachings  of  their  master  Buddha,  just  as  other 
religions  have  been  corrupted  by  interpretation 
and  dogma. 

"Ten  Great  Religions,"  page  161-162-163. 
"  There  has  been  much  discussion  among  scholars 
concerning  the  true  meaning  of  Nirvana,  the  end 
of  all  Buddhist  expectation.  Is  it  annihilation? 
Or  is  it  absorption  in  God?  The  weight  of 
authority,  no  doubt,  is  in  favor  of  the  first  view. 
Bournouf  s  conclusion  is,  '  For  Buddha  theists,  it 
is  the  absorption  of  this  individual  life  in  the  noth- 
ing. But  for  both  it  is  deliverance  from  all  evil,  it 
is  supreme  afifranchisement'  In  the  opinion  that 
it  is  annihilation,  agree  Max  Miiller,  Turnour 
Schmidt  and  Hardy.  And  M.  Saint-Hilaire,  while 
calling  it  'A  hideous  faith'  nevertheless  assigns  to  it 
a  third  part  of  the  human  race.  But,  on  the  other 
hand,  scholars  of  the  highest  rank  deny  this  view. 
In  particular,  Bunsen  (Gott  in  der  Geschichte),  calls 
attention  to  the  fact  that  in  the  oldest  monuments 
of  this  religion,  the  earliest  Sutras,  Nirvana  is 
spoken  of  as  a  condition  attained  in  the  present 
life.     How  then,  can  it  mean  annihilation  ?     It  is 


220  Salvation. 

the  state  in  whicli  all  desires  cease,  all  passions 
die.  Bunsen  believes  that  Buddha  never  denied 
or  questioned  God  or  immortality."  Bunsen  was 
right.  Buddha  had  too  much  wisdom  to  believe 
and  teach  that  the  object  of  man's  existence  upon 
earth  and  his  hope  and  aspiration  to  develop  and 
progress  to  a  high  condition,  could  be  annihilation. 

The  teachings  of  Buddha  reflected  the  same 
wisdom  as  those  of  Christ.  Both  taught  our  unity 
with  God,  by  becoming  naturalized  into  His 
Nature. 

This  is  also  the  truth  of  the  Old  Testament. 
Psalms  82,  I  and  6,  (Revised  Version)  "God 
standeth  in  the  congregation  of  God  ;  He  judgeth 
among  the  gods." 

"  I  said  ye  are  gods,  and  all  of  you  sons  of  the 
Most  High." 

The  Egyptians  taught  plainly  that  every  human 
soul,  after  death,  must  take  the  name  and  symbols 
of  Osiris,  and  then  all  the  souls  must  come  to  the 
under-world  (or  rather  this  earth),  to  be  judged  by 
him. 

This  corresponds  with  the  teachings  of  Christ, 
not  only  that  we  must  become  like  God,  and  be 
naturalized  into  His  nature,  but  also  that  the  judg- 
ment of  our  race  will  take  place  upon  the  earth. 
Matt.  25,  31-32-33:  *' When  the  Son  of  Man  shall 
come  in  His  glory,  and  all  the  holy  angels  with 
Him,  then  shall  He  sit  upon  the  throne  of  His 
glory.  And  before  Him  shall  be  gathered  all  na- 
tions :  and  He  shall  separate  them  one  from  another, 
as  a  shepherd  divideth  his  sheep  from  the  goats : 


Salvation.  221 

and  He  shall  set  the  sheep  on  His  right  hand,  but 
the  goats  on  the  left." 

By  what  means  may  we  gain  this  great  and  high 
condition  of  salvation  ? 

Although  every  spiritual  man  must  necessarily 
be  moral,  and  although  we  have  certain  duties  to- 
ward each  other,  yet  these  are  not  our  spiritual 
duties.  Moralities  aflfect  spirituality  ;  they  assist 
or  retard  us  in  our  spiritual  duties,  but  are  separate 
and  distinct  from  them.  Only  by  the  performance 
of  spiritual  duties,  can  we  attain  a  high  attitude 
before  God,  accomplish  our  salvation,  become  His 
children  and  receive  His  blessings  forever.  Our 
spiritual  duties  are  these — 

First: — To  believe  in  all  the  manifestations  of 
God,  especially  in  His  last  and  greatest  appearance 
to  us  as  Himself  in  Himself.  This  is  the  real 
knowledge  of  God,  that  is  required  of  us.  We  must 
know  God  as  He  is.  Our  own  theories  concerning 
Him,  avail  us  nothing. 

Second : — To  be  characterized  by  His  attributes 
and  draw  nearer  to  Him  in  being  taught  by  Him. 
All  knowledge  is  from  God. 

Third: — To  confess  His  oneness  and  singleness. 

If  we  attain  these  three  requirements,  we  will 
be  fitted  for  adoption,  and  be  grafted  to  the  Tree 
of  Life,  as  promised  by  Christ  in  Rev.  2,  7:  '*  He 
that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit  saith 
to  the  churches:  to  him  that  overcometh  will  I 
give  to  eat  of  the  Tree  of  Life  which  is  in  the 
midst  of  the  Paradise  of  God." 

To  understand  more  clearly  this  naturalization 


222  Salvation. 

into  divinity,  through  the  working  of  the  Spirit  of 
God  in  our  souls,  we  must  know  the  diflference  be- 
tween the  Spirit  of  man,  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  the 
Spirit  of  God.  The  Spirit  of  man  is  that  intelli- 
gent essence  called  soul.  The  Holy  Spirit,  or  the 
Holy  Ghost,  is  that  high  degree  of  knowledge  and 
illumination  possessed  by  souls  which  are  in  a 
nearer  relationship  with  God,  such  as  the  soul  of 
our  Great  Master,  Jesus  Christ.  Such  also  are  the 
"  Seven  spirits  before  the  throne,"  mentioned  in 
Revelations. 

The  Spirit  of  God  is  the  God-power  Itself,  which, 
working  in  our  souls,  will  naturalize  us  into  His 
Divinity.  It  is  the  power  of  the  magnet,  which 
magnetizes  the  iron  into  its  own  nature. 

We  fully  believe  in  our  Great  Master,  Jesus  the 
Christ,  and  in  all  his  teachings.  He  is  the  highest 
among  all  the  creatures  in  the  great  universe  ;  the 
first  begotten  Son  of  God,  and  His  Agent;  the 
Creator  is  his  God,  and  he  is  His  dearest  Son. 
But  we  know  that  our  salvation  is  not  through  his 
death,  but  through  the  great  mercy  of  the  Father. 
We  also  know  that  all  the  iniquities  of  mankind 
are  as  nothing  in  comparison  with  the  infinity  of 
God's  mercy,  because  the  heavens  of  His  charity 
and  the  oceans  of  His  bounty,  are  so  vast,  that  He 
has  never  rejected  those  who  begged  of  Him,  nor 
disappointed  those  who  willed  to  come  unto  Him. 
To  Him  the  majesty  and  the  glory  !  And  to  His 
Son,  the  greatness  and  the  exaltation,  for  ever  and 
ever !     Amen. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

THE  NECESSITIES  OF  THE  SOUL. 

We  know  that  the  earth  is  not  our  permanent 
place  of  abode.  It  is  self  evident  that  we  cannot 
remain  here.  The  body  is  but  the  temporary 
residence  of  the  soul.  As  a  traveler  crossing  a 
desert  or  forest,  man  journeys  from  birth  to  death  ; 
from  the  cradle  to  the  grave.  Generations  preced- 
ing us  have  come  and  gone  as  we  have  come  and 
as  we  shall  go.  The  summons  of  death  cannot  be 
refused.  To  it,  all  mankind  is  alike  subject.  The 
dust  of  earth  enshrines  our  weaknesses  and  our 
heroisms ;  the  splendor  of  kings  and  burdens  of  the 
slave  lie  mingled  beneath  its  pall.  Evicted  by 
death,  their  habitations  destroyed,  all  soul-tenants 
of  these  bodies  must  stand  alone  before  God. 
Death  levels  all  earthly  distinctions,  and  in  the 
presence  of  God,  we  are  equal  supplicants  for  His 
mercy.  The  life  of  man  is  but  an  atom  of  eternity. 
God  would  be  unjust  if  He  allowed  us  to  come 
upon  this  earth  so  short  a  time  and  live  here  sub- 
ject to  sorrow  and  suffering,  without  purpose.  The 
nature  of  our  existence  here,  the  conditions  to 
which  we  are  subject,  indicate  the  accomplishment 
of  certain  action  for  the  attainment  of  a  high 
privilege.  The  life  of  man,  therefore,  reflects  the 
will  of  God,  and  human  destiny  is  haloed  by 
Divine  solicitude. 

aas 


224  The  Necessities  of  the  Soul. 

Our  necessities  here,  are  of  two  kinds, — material 
and  spiritual.  Material  necessities,  or  the  needs  of 
the  body,  are  food,  drink  and  protection.  These 
bodily  requirements  do  not  afiect  the  soul,  except 
in  the  matter  of  condition  and  repair  of  its  material 
habitation,  yet  two  points  in  connection  with  them, 
demand  consideration. 

First: — Although  soul  necessities  are  of  eternal 
consequence  to  us,  and  the  necessities  of  the  body 
are  merely  temporal  requirements,  we  find  that  the 
latter  occupy  most  of  our  time  and  attention.  After 
sleeping  the  body  for  the  recuperation  of  its 
physical  strength,  we  bathe  it  and  prepare  it  for 
the  work  of  the  day;  supply  it  with  food,  labor 
with  it  at  our  daily  vocation,  again  renew  its  vigor 
with  food,  then  rest  it  in  sleep,  completing  the 
circle  of  twenty-four  hours.  A  little  reflection  will 
show  us  that  nearly  all  our  time  is  spent  in  caring 
for  the  body,  while  the  soul's  necessities  receive 
little  or  no  attention.  As  the  body  is  perishable, 
and  the  soul  is  immortal,  should  not  this  be  exactly 
reversed  ?  Should  we  not  minister  to  the  needs  of 
the  soul,  supply  it  with  its  food,  develop  its 
spiritual  power  to  the  very  limit  of  our  time;  only 
giving  to  the  body  the  attention  that  is  actually 
needful?  Under  the  stress  of  human  conditions, 
bodily  needs  are  many,  and  necessarily  make 
strong  demands  upon  our  time  and  attention,  but 
the  fact  remains  that  the  soul's  welfare  is,  pre-emi- 
nently, our  highest  and  greatest  concern,  and  every 
moment  spent  in  providing  it  with  sustenance,  is 
an  eternal  gain.     Shall  the  immortal  soul  starve. 


The  Necessities  of  the  Soul.  225 

while  the  transitory  residence  in  which  it  lives,  is 
carefully  nourished,  ornamented  and  beautified, 
only  to  crumble  into  dust  at  the  touch  of  death  ? 

Second: — God  in  His  All-Wisdom  knew  what 
the  necessities  of  our  bodies  would  be,  before  His 
Creative  Hand  fashioned  us.  Therefore,  before 
the  race  of  man  came  upon  earth,  He  provided 
those  necessities  in  limitless  abundance.  Having 
done  this.  He  established  natural  laws  which 
govern  us,  and  under  the  operation  of  which  we 
obtain  the  food,  drink  and  protection,  necessary  for 
our  material  existence.  Animals,  grains,  fruits, 
vegetables,  etc.,  are  provided  in  abundance  for  our 
food;  water  is  plentiful,  and  the  materials  and 
facilities  for  clothing,  shelter  and  safety,  are  every- 
where about  us.  God  has  created  the  earth  rich  in 
resources,  and  endowed  us  with  ability  and  intelli- 
gence to  supply  all  our  earthly  needs,  at  a  minimum 
expenditure  of  time.  Man,  however,  by  the  inven- 
tion of  his  own  laws,  and  for  the  gratification  of 
his  own  sordid  desires,  has  surrounded  himself  by 
conditions  which  debar  the  great  mass  of  humanity 
from  free  access  to  these  bounties  of  our  Creator, 
hence  the  difficulty  in  supplying  ourselves  with 
material  necessities.  The  urgency  and  stress  of 
these  conditions  do  not  result  from  the  action  of 
God,  but  are  entirely  the  consequences  of  man's 
violations  of  God's  perfect  laws.  If  we  destroy  the 
forests  of  our  country,  and  drought  and  agricultural 
impoverishment  follow,  the  calamity  is  due  to  us, 
not  to  God.  If  famine,  pestilence  and  horrors  fol- 
low in  the  wake  of  war,  God  cannot  be  justly  criti- 


226  The  Necessities  of  the  Soul. 

cized  for  it.  If  the  necessaries  of  life,  such  as 
wheat,  coal,  etc. ,  are  beyond  the  power  of  the  poor 
to  purchase,  owing  to  combinations  of  capital  and 
control  of  their  output,  such  distress  of  conditions 
can  only  be  attributed  to  man,  and  not  to  God. 

Under  His  laws,  is  clearly  visible  the  Divine 
intention  of  making  material  necessities  compara- 
tively easy  to  obtain,  and  so  enabling  us  to  devote 
the  greater  part  of  our  time  to  spiritual  development. 

We  see,  then,  that  material  necessities  and  the 
ability  to  obtain  them,  having  been  bountifully 
supplied  us  by  our  Creator,  we  have  no  further 
need  of  His  help  in  that  direction.  Had  He  in- 
tended to  continue  to  provide  these  things  for  us. 
He  would  not  have  endowed  us  with  the  power 
and  strength  to  obtain  them  for  ourselves.  Shall 
we,  therefore,  kneel  to  Him  and  ask  the  gift  of 
food  or  clothing,  when  He  has  already  provided  for 
us?  The  stress  of  material  conditions,  therefore; 
the  thousand  and  one  ills,  woes  and  troubles  which 
confront  our  lives;  the  numberless  grievances 
which  spring  from  aggrandizement  of  wealth  and 
residence  in  communities ;  the  consequences  of 
greed  and  gain;  practically  all  that  makes  the 
getting  of  our  daily  bread  difficult  and  irksome, 
can  be  directly  traced  to  our  violation  and  misuse 
of  the  harmony  of  material  conditions  by  which 
God  has  surrounded  us. 

The  luxury  of  civilization  is  an  abnormal  con- 
dition which  brings  its  corresponding  demands 
upon  our  time  and  efifort.  The  simple  necessities 
of  man,  as  a  natural,  normal  creature,  therefore^ 


The  Necessities  of  the  Soul.  227 

reflect  our  Creator's  intention;  our  complex  wants 
and  surroundings  which  minister  almost  exclusively 
to  bodily  needs  and  starve  the  soul,  are  human 
inventions  and  demand  the  price  of  human  failure 
to  reach  God. 

Christ  taught  diligence,  but  only  to  the  limit  of 
natural  necessities.  When  the  tax  gatherer  came 
to  him,  he  did  not  kneel  down  and  ask  God  the 
Father  to  provide  the  money.  He  said  at  once  to 
a  disciple  who  was  a  fisherman,  Matt.  17,  27:  "Go 
thou  to  the  sea,  and  cast  an  hook,  and  take  up  the 
fish  that  first  cometh  up;  and  when  thou  hast 
opened  his  mouth,  thou  shalt  find  a  piece  of  money; 
that  take  and  give  unto  them  for  me  and  thee.'* 
By  this  he  meant  that  when  the  fish  was  caught  by 
a  hook  in  its  mouth,  it  could  be  sold,  and  the 
money  used  for  paying  the  taxes.  In  this  way,  the 
disciple  supplied  the  need.  In  the  Sermon  upon 
the  Mount,  Christ  made  material  needs  entirely 
subordinate  to  the  necessities  of  the  soul,  summing 
up  his  magnificent  exhortation  by  saying.  Matt.  6, 
33:  "Seek  ye  first  the  Kingdom  of  God  and  His 
righteousness  and  all  these  things  shall  be  added 
unto  you." 

As  an  intelligent,  intellectual  essence,  the  soul 
has  its  necessities  and  requires  food  of  its  own 
kind.  No  amount  of  material  food  can  keep  the 
soul  from  starvation.  Those  who  teach  that  we 
progress  or  retrograde  spiritually,  according  to 
the  character  of  our  material  food,  are  mistaken. 
The  theory  is  advanced  by  them  that  the  quality 
or  character  of  food  we  eat,  is  transmitted  to  us ; 


228  The  Necessities  of  the  Soul. 

that  by  eating  the  flesh  of  animals  we  become  like 
them.  For  this  reason,  abstinence  from  meat  is 
commanded,  and  vegetable  diet  indicated.  If  we 
admit  their  theory  to  be  true,  it  is  certainly  better 
to  eat  the  flesh  of  animals  and  gain  somewhat  of 
their  intelligence,  than  to  acquire  the  dull,  inani- 
mate characteristics  of  fruits  and  vegetables.  Any 
one  must  prefer  being  an  ox  to  being  a  potato.  It 
is  one  of  God's  laws  that  animals  shall  subsist  upon 
animals.  Man  is  no  exception  to  this  law.  If 
meats  are  forbidden,  how  would  it  be  possible  for 
people  of  the  Arctic  Zones  to  exist?  Besides  this, 
it  is  practically  an  impossibility  to  avoid  eating 
and  drinking  microscopic  animal  life,  even  with 
the  most  extraordinary  precautions.  Millions  of 
vegetarian  Hindoos  are  governed  by  a  handful  of 
flesh-eating  English. 

The  negative  ideas  and  physical  weakness  of  the 
Hindoo  people,  constitute  the  chief  obstacles  to 
their  development.  They  are  inferior  morally, 
mentally  and  physically,  to  Americans  and  Eu- 
ropeans. Their  country  is  swept  by  most  terrible 
plagues,  and  progressive  influences  which  amelio- 
rate human  conditions  in  all  other  parts  of  the 
world,  gain  no  impetus  among  them.  Paul  in  his 
First  Epistle  to  Timothy  4,  1-2-3  •  says,  "  Now  the 
Spirit  speaketh  expressly,  that  in  the  latter  times, 
some  shall  depart  from  the  faith,  giving  heed  to  se^ 
ducing  spirits,  and  doctrines  of  devils;  speaking 
lies  in  hypocrisy ;  having  their  conscience  seared 
with  a  hot  iron;  forbidding  to  marry,  and  command- 
ing to  abstain  from  meats,  which  God  hath  created  to 


The  Necessities  of  the  Soul.  229 

be  received  with  thanksgiving  of  them  which  be- 
lieve and  know  the  truth." 

Knowledge  is  the  food  of  the  soul.  It  is  the 
soul's  first  and  greatest  necessity.  Ivcarning  and 
education  are  not  Knowledge.  They  are  mental 
acquisition  of  material  fact  and  data,  whereas  Knowl- 
edge implies  spiritual  comprehension.  Knowledge 
is  the  ken  of  the  soul.  Wisdom  implies  Knowledge 
in  action  and  use.  Knowledge  is  intuitive  soul 
illumination.  It  is  the  only  thing  that  will  benefit 
the  soul  in  eternity.  By  the  measure  of  its  posses- 
sion, the  soul  shall  be  judged.  Learning  and  edu- 
cation, stored  up  statistics  concerning  material 
things,  cannot  benefit  the  soul  in  eternity,  any 
more  than  remembering  the  dimensions  of  a  dun- 
geon could  benefit  a  prisoner  after  his  release. 

Learning  and  education  are  of  the  earth,  earthy. 
Knowledge  is  of  God  and  concerning  him.  Secur- 
ing it,  is  development  toward  God.  Specifically, 
Knowledge  is  knowing  God,  comprehending  our 
relationship  to  Him,  the  purpose  of  our  residence 
upon  earth,  and  our  destiny  in  eternity.  Without 
Knowledge  of  God,  our  existence  will  be  of  no  con- 
sequence, either  here  or  hereafter. 

The  second  soul  necessity  is  Faith.  Material 
food  produces  thirst.  Soul  Knowledge  produces 
Faith.  After  we  know,  we  have  Faith.  True  Faith 
must  be  founded  upon  Knowledge ;  if  not,  it  is 
useless  and  of  no  value  to  the  soul  in  eternity. 
Knowledge  of  the  truth,  produces  conviction.  If 
we  know,  and  are  convinced,  we  must  believe.  If 
we  reject  or  disbelieve  a  truth  after   being  con- 


230  The  Necessities  of  tlie  Soul. 

vinced,  our  souls  will  die  thirsty,  because  we  have 
prevented  them  from  quenching  their  thirst  with 
Faith.  Faith  is  the  spiritual  water  of  the  soul.  If 
we  wish  to  stand  upon  a  sure  religious  foundation, 
we  must  believe  only  in  that  which  is  fully  proven. 
Without  proof,  our  belief  would  be  as  the  house 
built  upon  sand,  for  when  we  reason  over  it,  doubts 
must  arise.     True  Faith  does  not  admit  of  doubt 

Paul  says  Heb.  ii,  i:  "Now  faith  is  the  sub- 
stance (ground  or  confidence)  of  things  hoped  for, 
the  evidence  of  things  not  seen." 

By  this  he  clearly  shows  that  we  must  have  the 
substance  or  confidence  of  Knowledge  before  we 
may  have  Faith. 

The  third  necessity  of  the  soul  is  lyove.  Knowl- 
edge is  the  soul's  "Food;"  Faith  is  "Water;" 
Love  is  "Protection."  The  soul's  protection  is  to 
love  God.  Let  us  consider  life  as  a  journey  through 
a  forest.  Commencing  at  birth,  it  is  our  duty  and 
privilege  to  reach  God  at  death.  As  we  cross 
the  forest,  diflSculties  and  obstacles  beset  us ;  sins 
divert  us  from  a  straight  course,  and  delay  our 
progress  forward.  Beautiful  oases  appear  to  the 
right  and  to  the  left  of  our  path,  lovely  vistas  of 
world-pleasures  beckon  us  to  come  aside,  rest  and 
recuperate,  for  the  forest  journey  is  difl&cult  and 
our  feet  are  weary.  Here  is  temptation.  If  we 
have  lyove  for  God  in  our  souls,  we  will  press 
forward  with  renewed  effort  and  stronger  determi- 
nation to  meet  Him  at  the  journey's  end.  With- 
out that  Love  for  Him,  we  yield  weakly  to  the 
worldly  beckonings,  turn  aside  from  our  path,  lose 


The  Necessities  of  the  Soul.  231 

precious  time,  and  enjoy  that  which  proves  to  be 
but  wormwood  and  ashes,  while  the  eternal  reward 
escapes  us.  To  reach  God,  therefore,  we  must 
press  continually  onward  through  life's  forest,  with 
Love  for  Him  as  the  soul  impetus. 

Thus  Love  is  the  soul's  protection  against  the 
temptations  which  lie  in  the  path  of  life  and  its 
impulse  toward  God. 

It  must  not  be  inferred  that  all  worldly  delights 
should  be  shunned,  all  pleasures  avoided,  all 
material  impulse  abnegated.  God  created  this 
world  as  the  scene  of  human  action,  the  theater  of 
human  accomplishment.  He  beautified  it  by  the 
glory  of  His  wisdom,  and  bestowed  upon  us  the 
intelligence  to  enjoy  its  beauty.  It  is  by  making 
world  delights  obstacles  to  our  spiritual  journey, 
and  by  bestowing  upon  them  all  our  time,  that  we 
fall  into  error  and  proceed  contrary  to  His  purpose. 
Instead  of  making  the  beauties  and  delights  of 
earth,  our  temptations,  they  should  repeat  and  em- 
phasize to  us,  the  bounty  of  God  and  His  infinite 
love  for  us. 

Finally,  we  must  know  God  as  He  is,  and  as  He 
wants  us  to  know  him.  To  many,  He  is  unknown 
and  unknowable,  and  therefore  they  have  neither 
Knowledge,  Faith  nor  Love.  If  we  are  true  seekers 
of  God,  we  must  follow  the  steps  of  the  Great 
Master,  Jesus,  who  said,  "  Knock,  knock,  and  the 
door  will  be  opened  to  you ;  seek  and  ye  shall 
find."  By  this,  Christ  meant  that  our  independ- 
ence must  first  bring  us  to  seek  God,  and  gain 
Knowledge  of  Him.     From  Knowledge  of  Him,  we 


232  The  Necessities  of  the  Soul. 

gain  Faith ;  then  knowing  Him,  and  believing  in 
Him  with  strong  Faith,  we  reach  the  exalted  con- 
dition of  loving  Him.  Christ  said  "  Thou  shalt 
love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  soul,  with  aU 
thy  heart  and  with  all  thy  mind ;  this  is  the  greatest 
of  all  commandments."  To  Love  Him  therefore 
with  all  our  intelligence,  is  our  highest  duty  and 
accomplishment,  but  this  Love  must  be  founded 
upon  Faith  in  Him,  and  Faith  springs  from 
Knowledge,  which  is  the  basis  of  all  soul  ac- 
complishment. 

This  progressive  order  cannot  be  reversed.  We 
cannot  begin  by  loving  God  to  establish  Faith  in 
Him,  and  then  acquire  Knowledge. 

This  is  unnatural,  illogical  and  impossible.  The 
clear  logical  order  and  progressive  spiritual  jour- 
ney to  God,  is  —  first,  to  Know  Him ;  second,  to 
have  Faith  in  what  we  Know;  third,  to  Love  Him 
in  confidence  and  devotion. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

PRAYER. 

As  God  is  the  source  of  all  Knowledge,  and  as 
Knowledge  is  the  food  of  the  soul,  we  must  now 
consider  the  means  of  obtaining  it.  There  is  no 
other  medium  than  that  of  prayer,  which  may  be 
comprehensively  defined  as  the  soul's  attitude  in 
seeking  and  asking  God  for  its  vital  necessities. 

It  is  plainly  our  duty  and  privilege  to  pray,  yet 
a  characteristic  of  these  present  years,  is  a  growing 
disbelief  in  the  function  and  efficacy  of  prayer. 
Men  do  not  pray  with  the  faith  and  fervor  of  their 
forefathers.  To  prove  the  error  of  this  neglect,  we 
must  consider  the  various  reasons  advanced  by 
those  who  deem  prayer  useless  and  unprofitable; 
after  which  we  will  show  why  prayer  is  necessary, 
and  when  it  is  productive  of  good  to  us. 

Men  do  not  pray,  for  the  following  reasons, 
viz. : — 

First — They  do  not  believe  in  the  Personality  of 
God.  If  they  admit  the  existence  of  an  Infinite 
Creative  Cause,  they  believe  it  to  be  a  Power, 
Force,  Energy  or  Law,  to  which,  appeal  by  prayer 
is  useless.  In  answer  to  this  objection, it  has  been 
conclusively  shown  in  a  previous  chapter,  that  the 
Creative  Cause  must  exist,  and  that  God  must  be 
an  Infinite  Personality.  It  is  therefore  necessary 
for  us  to  ask  Him  to  help  us.     Prayer  to  a  Force, 

333 


234  Prayer. 

Vibration  or  Energy,  would  be  profitless.  Prayer 
to  the  Infinite  Personality  of  God,  is  a  logical  out- 
come of  His  existence  as  God,  and  our  existence  as 
His  creatures. 

Second — Many  believe  that  the  soul  of  man  is  a 
germ  of  Divinity ;  and  therefore,  as  God  is  within 
us,  we  do  not  need  to  pray  to  Him.  This  view  is 
sometimes  supported  by  the  statement  that  Christ 
said  "  the  Kingdom  of  God  is  within  you." 

Concerning  this  objection  to  prayer,  it  is  neces- 
sary to  review  the  fact  that  the  Divine  Essence  can- 
not be  divided  into  innumerable  germs  constituting 
human  souls,  without  destroying  its  Perfection. 
Nothing  can  be  added  to  God,  nothing  can  be 
taken  from  Him.  If  the  soul  is  a  germ  of  the 
Divine  Essence,  it  must  possess  the  full  powers  of 
Divinity,  for  Divinity  must  be  homogeneous. 
Although  it  is  possible  for  the  soul  to  reflect  and 
to  be  illumined  by  the  powers  of  God,  it  cannot 
partake  of  the  intrinsic  essence  of  God.  According 
to  revised  versions  of  the  New  Testament,  Luke 
17,  21  is  rendered  *'The  Kingdom  of  God  is  among 
you"  or  "in  your  midst"  It  would  have  been 
unreasonable  and  inconsistent  for  Christ  to  say  that 
the  Kingdom  of  God  is  "within  you"  and  at  the 
same  time,  teach  us  to  pray  for  the  coming  of  that 
Kingdom.  The  application  of  this  statement  to 
support  belief  that  our  souls  are  of  the  essence  of 
Divinity,  is  so  vague  and  general,  that  it  demands 
little  attention. 

Third — Some  believe  that  God,  having  created 
the  world,  established  sufficient  laws  to  govern 


Prayer.  235 

and  sustain  it ;  and  that  all  human  accomplishment 
is  subject  to  these  laws,  without  further  interest  or 
interference  upon  the  part  of  God  Himself.  For 
this  reason,  they  deny  His  bounty  and  cease  to 
pray.  It  must  be  admitted,  in  answer  to  this  ob- 
jection, that  God  has  ordained  perfect  laws  to  gov- 
ern us.  Under  these  laws,  however,  we  find  that 
man  is  the  highest  visible  creation,  and  the  only 
creature  possessing  the  power  of  independence. 
The  function  of  independence  is  to  choose  knowl- 
edge of  God.  Choosing  evil,  refusing  to  seek  God, 
is  simply  misuse  or  neglect  of  this  high  function. 
As  finite  creatures  seeking  knowledge  of  the  In- 
finite, we  must  assume  an  attitude  of  will  toward 
Him.  To  receive  knowledge  from  Him,  He  must 
be  accessible  to  us.  A  God  inaccessible  to  creatures 
whom  He  has  endowed  with  independence  to  seek 
Him,  is  a  logical  impossibility.  A  God  bound 
and  restricted  in  His  attitude  toward  us,  by  His 
own  laws,  is  not  as  high  as  an  independent  human 
being,  nor  is  He  our  highest  conception  of  Divinity. 
God  is  higher  and  greater  than  His  own  laws. 
Although  we  are  amenable  to  them,  they  cannot 
render  Him  inaccessible  to  us,  for  He  is  the  intelli- 
gence behind  those  laws.  Our  necessities  are 
knowledge  of  Him  ;  our  appeal  is  to  Him  and  not 
to  His  laws.  This  is  prayer,  and  prayer  is  a  neces- 
sity. We  must  also  conclude,  in  this  connection, 
that  the  perfect  laws  of  God  are  intended  to  help 
us,  to  assist  our  development,  and  reward  the  cor- 
rect use  of  our  weapon  of  independence.  The 
function  of  every  law  of  God,  is  distinctly  that  of 


236  Prayer. 

protection  and  assistance  toward  harmony  with 
Him.  That  they  are  obstacles  to  right  attainment, 
is  illogical,  and  a  belief  which  violates  the  laws 
themselves. 

Fourth — It  is  sometimes  stated  in  self-defence,  by 
those  who  do  not  pray,  that  God  the  All-Mighty  is 
All-Knowing,  and  cognizant  of  our  condition,  there- 
fore it  is  not  necessary  for  us  to  mention  our  needs 
or  ask  Him  to  help  us. 

The  fact  that  He  has  given  us  independence  to 
seek  Him,  disproves  this  argument  completely. 
We  cannot  exercise  that  power  of  will  to  choose 
God,  except  by  coming  to  Him  and  asking  for 
help  and  guidance.  He  is  rich  ;  we  are  poor.  He 
has  knowledge;  we  need  it.  How  shall  we  obtain 
it  ?  By  no  other  means  than  that  of  asking.  This 
use  of  our  independence  is  our  duty.  Praying  to 
Him  is  acknowledgment  of  His  power  and  appre- 
ciation of  His  bounty.  Prayer  is  therefore  our 
duty. 

Fifth — The  theory  of  the  fatalists,  is,  that  every- 
thing is  predestined  and  beyond  the  possibility  of 
change  or  alteration,  therefore  there  is  no  need  of 
prayer. 

To  this  it  may  be  said  that  although  the  history 
and  destiny  of  man  lies  written  in  the  Mind  of  God, 
independent  human  action  evolves  and  reveals  it. 
God's  actions  are  arbitrary.  Human  actions,  which 
govern  human  destiny,  are  free  and  untrammeled. 
The  fact  that  God  is  cognizant  of  human  action, 
does  not  restrict  human  action  in  the  least.  Fate 
and  independence  never  meet     Our  use  of  the  gift 


Prayer.  237 

of  independence,  determines  our  fate.  Fate  is  the 
outcome  of  our  own  action,  which  Gk)d  never  ham- 
pers. He  apportions  the  soul's  environment,  but 
thereafter,  the  soul,  subject  to  His  perfect  laws, 
accomplishes  its  own  destiny.  The  Omniscience 
of  God  is  nowhere  shown  in  greater  perfection  than 
in  this, — that  although  human  action  makes  human 
history.  He  has  all-knowledge  of  it  beforehand.  As 
His  knowledge  of  our  outcome  does  not  restrict  us, 
we  must  pray  to  Him,  if  we  wish  to  attain  the  privi- 
lege He  has  granted  us. 

Sixth — Many  have  abandoned  prayer  for  the 
reason  that  their  prayers  have  never  been  answered. 
They  reason,  therefore,  that  prayer  is  non-effective 
with  God.  Whatever  degree  of  failure  attends  our 
petitions  to  the  Infinite  God,  we  may  conclude 
with  certainty  that  the  fault  is  our  own.  Prayers 
innumerable  have  been  answered.  If  our  petitions 
fail,  it  is  well  to  consider  some  of  the  reasons 
which  render  prayer  valueless  and  of  no  avail. 
It  may  be  that  we  do  not  pray  in  the  right  spirit. 
Christ  said  that  we  must  worship  God  "  in  spirit 
and  in  truth. "  Prayer  that  is  unintelligent  and  at 
variance  with  truth,  can  profit  nothing.  Remind- 
ing God  of  His  duties  ;  dictating  to  Him  ;  impor- 
tuning Him  with  the  egotism  of  our  demands, 
preclude  the  possibility  of  answer.  Again,  it  may 
be  that  we  pray  for  things  which  God  has  already 
provided  for  us.  Prayer  for  material  necessities, 
worldly  advancement,  etc.,  come  within  the  cate- 
gory of  profitless  petitions  to  our  Creator.  Not 
only  do  we  pray  for  things  which  He  has  already 


238  Prayer. 

provided,  but  we  also  voice  our  supplications  to 
Him,  in  petitions  for  things,  which,  if  we  did 
receive,  would  prove  to  be  of  injury  and  disadvan- 
tage to  us.  Knowing  this.  His  Infinite  Wisdom 
denies  the  answer  to  our  prayer.  In  one  of  the 
Oriental  legends,  it  is  said  that  Moses  (the 
"Speaker  with  God")  when  passing  through  a 
desert  region,  stopped  at  the  cave  of  a  hermit,  who 
recognized  him  and  received  him  with  much  hos- 
pitality. In  the  evening,  the  hermit,  who  had 
prayed  all  his  life  for  the  power  of  raising  the 
dead,  begged  Moses  to  intercede  with  God,  in 
his  behalf,  and  obtain  this  gift  for  him.  When 
morning  came,  Moses  announced  that  God  had 
refused  to  grant  the  hermit's  prayer,  for  the  reason 
that  the  power  of  raising  the  dead,  instead  of 
benefiting  him,  would  bring  him  harm  and  injury. 
The  hermit  nevertheless  insisted  that  Moses  should 
again  ask  God  for  it.  Moses  did  so,  and  brought 
him  the  same  answer  upon  the  second  morning. 
The  hermit  was  not  satisfied,  and  a  third  time  be- 
sought Moses  to  urge  God  to  grant  him  the  power 
of  raising  the  dead.  Upon  the  third  morning, 
Moses  announced  to  the  hermit,  that  the  Almighty 
had  answered  his  petition  and  granted  unto  him 
the  power  he  desired.  After  the  departure  of 
Moses,  the  hermit  while  walking  in  the  desert, 
came  to  a  place  where  a  number  of  bones  lay  scat- 
tered upon  the  ground.  Remembering  that  God 
had  granted  him  the  power  of  raising  the  dead,  he 
stood  over  the  dry  bones,  commanding  that  they 
gather  themselves  together  and  be  restored  to  life. 


Prayer.  239 

Immediately  the  bones  were  joined  one  with  an- 
other, clothed  with  flesh,  and  there  appeared  an  enor- 
mous hungry  lion,  which  devoured  him.  This  illus- 
trates the  uselessness  of  praying  for  things  which, 
according  to  our  limited  judgment,  are  beneficial, 
yet  are  denied  us  by  the  Omniscient  God,  whose 
ways  are  higher  than  our  ways,  and  whose  thoughts 
are  higher  than  our  thoughts.  There  are  many 
vitally  important  reasons  why  we  should  pray. 

First: — We  are  living  upon  the  earth,  subject  to 
environment  and  limitation,  for  the  purpose  of 
attaining  a  higher  spiritual  attitude  in  eternity. 
This  reward,  the  gift  of  these  higher  blessings  and 
powers,  is  not  ours  by  right.  We  do  not  deserve 
them  ;  they  are  offered  to  us  by  our  Creator,  from 
the  boundless  ocean  of  His  love  and  mercy.  We 
must  therefore  strive  for  them,  and  our  first  neces- 
sity toward  their  accomplishment,  is  to  seek  them 
by  prayer.  If  a  fellow  man  owes  me  a  sum  of 
money  and  I  ask  him  for  it,  my  request  is  founded 
upon  my  right  and  ownership  to  it.  If  he  is  rich, 
and  I,  being  poor  and  needy,  ask  him  for  money,  I 
receive  it  from  the  impulse  of  his  sympathy  and 
generosity,  without  having  any  claim  whatever  upon 
it.  Where  my  right  exists,  my  demand  is  just,  and 
must  be  recognized.  Without  my  right,  all  voli- 
tion rests  with  him.  God  has  knowledge  and 
power ;  we  need  it,  yet  have  no  right  to  it.  From 
His  love  and  mercy,  He  will  endow  us  with  these 
higher  gifts  and  blessings,  but  we  must  show 
appreciation  and  acknowledge  our  need,  by  asking 
for  them.  This  is  a  fundamental  necessity  of 
prayer. 


240  Prayer. 

Second: — It  is  necessary  that  we  should  know 
God  and  come  nearer  to  Him,  in  order  that  we 
may  attain  higher  spiritual  development,  and 
accomplish  the  purpose  of  our  coming  upon  earth. 
If  we  fail  in  this,  our  lives  are  of  no  more  conse- 
quence than  the  lives  of  animals. 

To  know  God,  we  must  commune  with  Him. 
By  prayer  we  become  acquainted  with  Him  and 
attain  knowledge  of  Him.  If  we  pass  a  fellow- 
man  in  the  street  every  day  of  the  year,  we  obtain 
little  or  no  knowledge  of  him.  By  conversing 
with  him ;  by  acquaintance,  we  come  to  know  him, 
understand  his  nature  and  estimate  his  intelligence. 
Ivikewise,  knowledge  of  God  demands  acquaint- 
ance with  God,  through  the  medium  of  communion 
or  prayer. 

Third: — We  should  pray  in  gratitude  to  God  for 
His  bounty,  and  in  acknowledgment  of  His  inex- 
haustible generosity  to  His  creatures. 

He  is  the  Creator  of  the  Universe,  the  Supreme 
Source  of  all  blessings  and  power.  It  is  therefore 
our  duty  to  confess  His  greatness,  in  prayer  and 
praise  to  Him.  As  He  has  enriched  us,  it  is  sin 
and  ingratitude  upon  our  part,  not  to  recognize 
and  acknowledge  His  bounty. 

Fourth: — The  privilege  of  prayer  and  communion 
with  God,  is  the  highest  honor  conferred  upon  us. 
By  the  use  of  this  privilege,  we  are  elevated  in  His 
esteem,  and  enjoy  supreme  importance  in  the  eyes 
of  the  celestial  hosts.  The  opportunity  of  con- 
verse with  a  King,  Queen,  Czar,  or  any  high 
earthly  ruler,  is  an  honor.     How  much  greater  the 


Prayer.  241 

honor  and  privilege  of  unlimited  communion  witli 
the  Lord  of  Lords  and  King  of  Kings,  our  Creator 
and  Everlasting  Father. 

Fifth: — Prayer  is  worship.  We  worship  God 
and  petition  Him  for  our  own  interests  and  bene- 
fits ;  for  powers,  gifts  and  higher  development. 

He  does  not  need  our  worship.  He  is  Perfec- 
tion, worshiped  and  glorified  in  Himself  Our 
actions  and  prayers  will  add  nothing  to  His  Majesty 
and  Glory,  but  are  the  means  by  which  we  attain 
the  nature  of  Divinity,  as  His  Children ;  sharing 
His  Power  and  Glory.  If  we  do  not  pray,  we  are 
the  losers. 

Sixth: — Like  soldiers  upon  the  battlefield,  we 
are  at  war  against  surrounding  conditions,  striving 
to  gain  the  privilege  for  which  we  came  upon 
earth.  As  the  soldier  needs  a  fort  or  shelter  to 
protect  him  in  time  of  need,  and  as  we  in  our  finite 
nature,  are  needy,  it  is  necessary  that  we  should 
seek  the  protection  and  shelter  of  God,  in  order 
to  overcome  and  win  the  victory.  Seeking  His 
protection,  knocking  at  the  gate  of  Heaven  as 
Christ  taught  us,  is  prayer.  We  therefore  should 
perform  this,  our  highest  duty,  with  eagerness  and 
sincerity.  At  the  same  time,  we  should  know  how 
to  pray.  A  soldier  must  give  the  pass- word  in  order 
to  gain  admittance  to  the  fort.  A  pass- word  of  his 
own  invention  will  not  suffice  him.  So  also,  when 
we  pray,  we  must  present  proper  petitions  to  God 
the  Almighty  Commander-in-Chief  We  must 
make  use  of  prayers  which  have  been  taught  us  by 
His  prophets  and  messengers.     This  will  insure 


242  Prayer. 

answers  to  our  supplications  ;  the  gate  of  His  mercy 
will  open  to  us,  and  we  shall  be  admitted  to  His 
Love  and  Protection. 

Although  we  are  not  forbidden  to  express  our 
thoughts  and  petitions  to  God,  in  our  own  lan- 
guage, it  is  manifestly  more  eflfective  to  commune 
with  Him  in  the  words  revealed  to  us  by  His 
Manifestations.  In  the  use  of  them,  prayer 
assumes  its  highest  function  and  value  to  us.  We 
have  a  great  number  of  these  sacred  tablets  and 
communes,  one  of  which  follows: 

"  Oh  my  God,  give  me  Knowledge,  Faith,  and 
Love.  Adorn  my  head,  oh  God,  with  the  crown 
of  Thy  Providence ;  my  heart  with  the  light  of 
knowing  Thee ;  my  tongue  with  the  utterance  of 
Thy  Greatest  Name;  and  my  ear  with  listening  to 
Thy  Holy  Word ;  for  Thou  art  the  Only  One  whose 
action  was,  is,  and  ever  shall  be  glorified,  and 
whose  command  shall  ever  be  obeyed. 

"  Oh  my  God,  help  me  to  be  just ;  lift  me  up  from 
the  ocean  of  superstitions  and  imaginations,  and 
grant  me  an  Iron  Sight,  to  see  and  realize  from  the 
surrounding  existence.  Thy  Oneness  and  Thy 
Truth." 

This  Commune,  which  contains  twelve  distinct 
"  words  "  or  petitions,  is,  as  its  text  implies,  for 
daily  use.  "Adorn  my  head  oh  God,  with  the 
crown  of  Thy  Providence,"  is  equivalent  to  the 
prayer  of  Jesus,  ' '  Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread." 
The  sixth  "  word  "  or  sentence, — adorn ' '  my  tongue 
with  the  utterance  of  Thy  Greatest  Name,"  is  a 
petition  to  Grod  for  the  great  privilege  of  knowing 


Prayer.  243 

His  Greatest  Name,  which  will  be  given  to  every 
believer,  with  the  understanding  of  how  and  when 
it  may  be  mentioned  in  worship,  or  for  protection. 
The  Scriptures  promise,  that  in  the  latter  days,  we 
will  be  given  His  Name.  Zech.  13,  9 — "  And  I 
will  bring  the  third  part  through  the  fire,  and  will 
refine  them  as  silver  is  refined,  and  will  try  them 
as  gold  is  tried  ;  they  shall  call  on  My  Name  and 
I  will  hear  them:  I  will  say  It  is  My  people  ;  and 
they  will  say,  The  Lord  is  my  God." 

The  tenth  "word"  is  "Help  me  to  be  just." 
This  petition  embodies  a  supreme  human  need ; 
for  selfishness  and  injustice  constitute  the  source 
of  nearly  every  mischief  and  misery.  "  Serve 
God,"  and  "love  your  fellow-man,"  although  two 
equal  factors  in  our  religious  duty,  are  in  reality, 
but  one  and  the  same  thing,  since  it  is  impossible 
for  us  to  serve  God  aright,  unless  we  "do  unto 
others  as  we  would  have  others  do  unto  us."  The 
necessity  of  being  "just"  to  our  fellow-creatures, 
is  a  foundation  principle  in  all  religious  truth.  We 
should  therefore  pray  earnestly  for  this  soul  ac- 
complishment and  supreme  blessing. 

The  eleventh  "  word  "  is  "Lift  me  up  from  the 
ocean  of  superstitions  and  imaginations. ' '  Human 
souls  are  voyaging  upon  an  "  ocean  of  superstitions 
and  imaginations,"  in  search  of  anchorage  in  the 
Truth.  We  see  them  everywhere  about  us;  soul 
ships,  soul  craft ;  some  without  rudder  or  compass, 
some  without  latitude  or  longitude;  many  idly 
drifting,  careless  of  time,  distance  and  direction. 
We  see  some  bent  with  the  utmost  determination 


244  Prayer. 

upon  certain  courses,  and  others,  with  just  as  much 
determination,  pursuing  precisely  opposite  courses. 
If  we  scan  the  horizon  of  humanity,  we  will  find 
these  soul-ships  sailing  toward  every  conceivable 
point  of  the  compass.  It  cannot  be  that  the  Truth 
lies  in  such  a  myriad  of  directions.  There  is  but 
one  God,  and  there  can  be  but  one  Truth;  one 
direction  toward  it,  one  anchorage  in  it.  The 
Truth  founded  upon  the  perfect  laws  of  God,  must 
be  practical.  Human  ideas  concerning  the  Truth, 
are  mere  superstitions,  imaginations  and  chimeras, 
simply  because  they  are  not  practical.  If  it  was 
announced  that  Christ  had  come  upon  the  earth,  in 
fulfillment  of  his  promise ;  that  he  had  been  bom 
naturally  of  parents,  according  to  God's  laws,  and 
now  lived  among  us  in  the  human  form,  scarcely 
one  in  a  thousand  would  believe  in  him,  although 
teaching  and  expecting  his  second  coming.  If, 
however,  it  was  reported  that  Christ  had  appeared, 
soaring  in  the  clouds,  his  stature  gigantic,  his 
apparel  glistening  and  glorious,  and  his  voice  like 
the  roll  of  thunder,  millions  would  believe  the 
statement,  because  such  a  Christ  and  such  a 
coming  of  Christ,  would  be  an  impossibility.  We 
need,  therefore,  the  practical  truth,  and  it  is  our 
duty  to  ask  God  to  "lift  us  above  the  ocean  of 
superstitions  and  imaginations,"  which  are  but 
human  inventions  and  worthless  to  the  soul. 

The  twelfth  "word"  is  "And  grant  me  an  Iron 
Sight,  to  see  and  realize  from  the  surrounding 
existence.  Thy  Oneness  and  Thy  Truth. " 

By  the  "Iron  Sight"  is  meant  the  clear  inner  vision 


Prayer.  245 

of  the  soul ;  the  intuitive  perception  and  knowledge 
of  the  Truth.  According  to  the  prophet  Joel  2,28: 
"And  it  shall  come  to  pass  afterward,  that  I  will 
pour  out  my  spirit  upon  all  flesh ;  and  your  sons  and 
your  daughters  shall  prophesy ;  your  old  men  shall 
dream  dreams;  your  young  men  shall  see  visions." 
In  asking  God  for  the  Iron  Sight,  we  petition  Him 
for  the  spiritual  condition  which  enables  us  to 
receive  knowledge  from  Him, through  revelations, 
visions,  and  *' dreaming  dreams." 

This  blessing  and  great  gift  is  bestowed  upon 
the  human  race  in  these  present  days,  more 
abundantly  than  it  was  given  to  the  followers  of 
Christ,  in  the  early  Christian  period. 

The  following  Tablet  is  used  as  a  morning 
prayer: 

"  Praise  to  Thee,  O  my  God,  for  Thou  hast 
awakened  me  after  my  sleep,  made  me  appear  after 
my  absence,  and  raised  me  after  my  death.  I  arose 
this  morning,  facing  the  light  of  the  dawn  of  Thine 
appearance,  which  lightened  the  horizon  of  the 
heavens  of  Thy  Power  and  Majesty,  confessing 
the  truth  of  Thy  Word,  believing  in  Thy  Book, 
and  holding  to  Thy  Robe.  I  beg  of  Thee,  by  the 
power  of  Thy  Will  and  the  performance  of  Thy 
Wish,  to  make  what  Thou  didst  show  me  in  my 
vision,  a  solid  foundation  for  the  house  of  Thy 
Love  in  the  hearts  of  Thy  Redeemers  and  the  best 
cause  for  the  manifestation  of  Thy  Generosity  and 
Providence. 

"  O  my  God,  ordain  to  me  by  Thy  Supreme 
Pen,  the  good  of  the  world  to  come  and  the  present 
one. 


346  Prayer. 

"  I  hereby  bear  witness  that  in  Thy  hands  are 
the  reins  of  all  things,  and  Thou  changest  them 
according  to  Thy  Will,  and  that  there  is  no  God 
but  Thee,  for  Thou  art  the  One,  the  Almighty  and 
the  Faithful. 

"  Thou  art  the  One  who  changest  by  Thy  Com- 
mand, the  dishonored  to  the  highest  stage  of  honor, 
the  weak  to  be  strong,  the  failing  to  have  power, 
the  confused  to  be  in  peace,  and  the  doubting  to 
have  strong  faith. 

"  There  is  no  God  but  Thee,  who  art  Mighty 
and  Generous. 

"The  heavens  of  Thy  Charity  and  the  oceans 
of  Thy  Bounty  are  so  vast,  that  Thou  hast  never 
disappointed  those  who  beg  of  Thee,  and  never 
refused  those  who  willed  to  come  unto  Thee. 

"Thou  art  Most  Powerful  and  Mighty." 

The  word  "Redeemer"  in  this  tablet,  signifies 
a  spiritual  title  given  to  those  who  obey  their  mis- 
sion in  the  Cause  of  God,  even  to  death,  thereby 
accomplishing  their  own  redemption.  The  follow- 
ing tablet  is  to  be  used  especially  when  leaving 
the  house : 

"  By  Thy  generosity,  O  my  God,  I  come  to  this 
morning,  and  I  leave  this  house  depending  on 
Thee  and  delivering  all  my  concerns  to  Thy  Hand. 
Therefore  send  down  upon  me  from  the  heavens  of 
Thy  Mercy,  a  special  blessing  from  Thy  Presence; 
bring  me  back  in  peace  and  righteousness  as  Thou 
hast  sent  me  out. 

"  There  is  no  God  but  Thee ;  for  Thou  art  the 
One  who  has  all  the  Knowledge  and  all  the  Wis- 
dom." 


Prayer.  247 

Having  realized  the  necessity  and  eflScacy  of 
prayer,  it  is  for  our  eternal  interest  to  practice  it 
diligently,  in  the  spirit  of  humility  and  earnest- 
ness. As  God  has  promised  to  hear  and  answer 
our  petitions  thus  presented,  our  benefit  is  abso- 
lutely certain,  for  He  never  fails  in  the  fulfilment 
of  His  promises. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

ADAM. 

Pre-existence  of  the  soul,  the  purpose  of  its  im- 
prisonment in  the  body,  and  the  conditions  of  its 
existence  hereafter,  have  been  divinely  revealed  to 
us  in  the  story  of  Adam  and  the  Garden  of  Eden. 
Whence  came  we?  What  is  our  purpose  here? 
Whither  going  ?  These  are  the  all-important  ques- 
tions of  human  existence.  They  cover  the  history 
and  destiny  of  the  soul.  In  their  solution,  is 
knowledge  of  the  Truth  of  God,  whose  All-wise 
intention  has  preserved  scriptural  record,  until  this 
present  age  of  the  world,  when  human  understand- 
ing is  fitted  to  receive  the  message  of  its  interpreta- 
tion and  the  revelation  of  its  teaching. 

Theologians  and  religious  thinkers  have  failed 
to  understand  whether  the  earliest  records  in  the 
book  of  Genesis,  relative  to  the  Garden  of  Eden, 
the  Fall  of  Man  and  longevity  of  the  human  race, 
are  historical  accounts  of  real  events,  or  simply 
myths  and  traditions,  which  had  their  origin  in  the 
earliest  dawn  of  civilization.  Is  the  story  of  Adam 
but  the  product  of  human  imagination?  Is  it 
allegory  founded  upon  man's  observation  of  the 
working  forces  of  nature ;  or  is  it  the  record  of 
actual  happenings,  symbolically  written  by  prophets 
inspired  of  God,  to  teach  the  human  race  the  his- 
tory of  the  beginning  and  earliest  condition  of 
man? 


250  Adam. 

The  majority  of  theologians  maintain  that  the 
story  of  Adam  is  the  Word  of  God,  containing  an 
underlying  spiritual  significance,  but  confess  their 
inability  to  give  it  specific  and  definite  interpreta- 
tion. However  they  may  difier  in  opinion  as  to 
its  exact  teaching,  they  must  coincide  in  admitting 
its  ultra  importance,  inasmuch  as  it  concerns  the 
most  remote  epoch  of  human  history,  and  upon  its 
narrative  as  a  foundation,  rests  entirely,  the  doc- 
trine of  "original  sin."  Belief  in  this  doctrine,  or 
proof  of  it,  depends  solely  upon  the  history  of  Adam 
and  the  story  of  Eden.  If  we  cannot  prove  the 
nature  of  Adam's  transgression,  or  discover  the 
reality  of  an  act  of  disobedience  which  holds  all 
mankind  in  the  thraldom  of  its  consequences,  the 
whole  scriptural  basis  of  original  sin  is  destroyed, 
man's  absolute  independence  of  action  and  supreme 
individual  responsibility  established,  and  the  doc- 
trine of  redemption  proved  to  be  unnecessary  and 
impossible.  The  importance  of  this  record  in 
Genesis  is  therefore  apparent  from  the  fact  that  it 
contains  the  only  data  upon  which  the  doctrine  of 
original  sin  can  be  founded.  All  other  citations 
and  elaborations  of  this  point,  in  scripture  and  out- 
side of  scripture,  proceed  from  the  Story  of  the 
Garden  of  Eden. 

While  numberless  theories  and  explanations  ad 
infinitum  have  been  evolved  concerning  it ;  while 
the  result  of  human  efibrt  to  understand  its  real 
significance,  has  been  confusion  and  contrariety  of 
opinion,  the  fact  remains  that  this  record  is  a 
revelation  from  God  to  mankind ;  intended  by  Him 


Adam.  251 

to  teach  a  great  spiritual  truth  which  is  essential 
to  every  human  soul.  The  certain  evidence  of  this 
intention  of  revelation,  is  found  in  the  fact  that  the 
prophets,  Christ  especially,  taught  the  same  spiritual 
truth  embodied  in  the  story  of  Adam  and  the  Gar- 
den of  Eden. 

Much  of  the  difficulty  in  understanding  and 
interpretation,  arises  from  the  reason  that  scrip- 
tural mode  of  expression  is  symbolical.  All  the 
prophetic  language  of  scripture  employs  symbols. 
Christ  taught  in  parables  and  allegorical  illustra- 
tions. The  earliest  records  in  the  book  of  Genesis, 
were  written  in  idiographic  language,  which  pre- 
ceded the  use  of  characters  representing  sounds. 
Centuries  later,  they  were  translated  into  Hebrew. 
The  original  Hebrew  writings  suflfered  many 
changes  through  successive  transcriptions,  at  long 
intervals  and  different  periods. 

According  to  Dr.  Heber  Newton  in  "  Right  and 
Wrong  Uses  of  the  Bible,"  "We  must  also  take 
into  consideration  this  fact,  that  the  languages  are 
constantly  changing  ;  words  and  expressions  that 
were  in  use  a  hundred  years  ago,  are  now  obsolete 
or  convey  a  different  meaning  and  it  is  often  neces- 
sary for  us  to  take  their  meaning  in  a  figurative 
sense  and  not  literally,  as  we  do  at  the  present 
time." 

Upon  this  point,  Origen  (Vol.  i,  P.-315)  wrote 
as  follows  : 

* '  The  Scriptures  contain  many  things  which  did 
not  actually  occur.  For  who  that  hath  under- 
standing, will  suppose  that  the  first  and  second  and 


252  Adam. 

third  day,  and  the  evening  and  the  morning 
existed  without  a  sun,  moon  and  stars  ?  and  that 
the  first  day  was  as  it  were  without  a  sky  ?  and 
who  is  so  foolish  as  to  suppose  that  God  after  the 
manner  of  a  husbandman  planted  a  paradise  in 
Eden  toward  the  East  and  placed  in  it  a  tree  of 
life  visible  and  palpable,  so  that  one  taking  of  the 
fruit  by  the  bodily  teeth,  obtained  life?  And  if 
God  is  said  to  walk  in  the  paradise  in  the  evening 
and  Adam  to  hide  himself  under  a  tree,  I  do  not 
suppose  that  anyone  doubts  that  these  things, 
figuratively,  indicate  certain  mysteries,  the  his- 
tory having  taken  place  in  appearance  and  not 
literally.  Cain  also  when  going  forth  from  the 
presence  of  God,  certainly  appeals  to  thoughtful 
men  as  likely  to  lead  the  reader  to  inquire  what  is 
the  presence  of  God,  and  what  is  the  meaning  of 
going  out  from  Him  ?  The  Gospels  are  filled  with 
the  same  kind  of  narratives. " 

One  of  the  greatest  difficulties  in  coming  to  a 
real  knowledge  of  this  lesson,  is  the  misunder- 
standing of  the  location  of  Eden.  Scholars  and 
theologians  confess  the  impossibility  of  locating  it 
accurately.  Martin  Luther  said  "  No  one  knows." 
Geikie,  "  Hours  with  the  Bible"  says:  **  It  would 
be  wearisome  to  quote  at  length  the  widely  con- 
trasted opinions  which  offer  themselves  in  the  long 
list  of  writings,  more  or  less  fully  devoted  to  this 
subject  for  it  embraces  not  fewer  than  80  treatises; 
Palestine,  Syria,  Armenia,  Mesopotamia,  Persia, 
the  Delta  of  the  Indus,  Cashmere,  one  of  the  South 
Sea  Islands,  the  Canary  Islands,  St.  Gothard  in  the 


Adam.  253 

Alps  and  even  the  shores  of  the  Baltic  have  been 
zealously  advocated  as  the  seat  of  Paradise." 

The  consensus  of  learned  opinion  favors  the 
idea  that  its  real  locality  was  somewhere  in  Asia, 
near  the  great  rivers  Euphrates  and  Tigris,  from 
the  fact  that  the  former  is  named  in  the  Genesis 
narration,  together  with  the  Hiddekel  which  was 
the  ancient  name  of  the  Tigris.  The  rivers  Gihon 
and  Pishon  have  never  been  found,  nor  is  there 
any  evidence  past  or  present,  of  the  existence  of 
the  great  river  from  which  these  four  proceeded, 
and  of  which  they  were  the  "heads"  or  "branches." 

In  point  of  geographical  existence,  it  is  clearly 
evident  that  the  Garden  of  Eden  has  never  been, 
and  could  not  be  a  spot  or  locality  upon  the  earth's 
surface.  Added  to  this,  is  the  weight  of  scriptural 
demonstration  that  the  story  itself  is  symbolical  of 
an  existence  in  the  spiritual  realms ;  that  this  is 
the  true  meaning  of  the  location  of  the  Paradise 
of  God. 

Still  further,  in  the  light  of  physical  science,  it 
can  be  shown  from  the  description  of  Eden,  that  an 
earthly  location  for  it,  is  impossible.  According  to 
the  biblical  record,  there  grew  "  out  of  the  ground, 
every  tree  that  is  pleasant  to  the  sight  and  good 
for  food;  the  tree  of  life  also,  in  the  midst  of  the 
garden,  and  the  tree  of  knowledge  of  good  and 
evil."  From  a  scientific  standpoint,  it  is  impossi- 
ble to  admit  that  there  grew  from  the  soil  of  the 
earth,  trees  which  produced  fruits  of  "life"  and  fruits 
ofthe  knowledge  of  "good"  and  "evil."  The  material 
elements  cannot  nourish  our  souls  with  life  and  the 


254  Adam. 

knowledge  of  good  and  evil ;  they  nourish  and 
sustain  the  body,  which  partakes  of  their  nature 
and  qualities.  According  to  science,  therefore,  and 
upon  the  basis  of  literal  facts,  the  Garden  of  Eden 
could  not  have  existed  upon  the  earth.  In  Reve- 
lations 2,  7,  the  symbolism  and  imagery  of  the 
Eden  story  is  utilized  to  prove  this  point  more 
clearly.  "  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what 
the  Spirit  saith  to  the  churches  ;  to  him  that  over- 
cometh,  will  I  give  to  eat  of  the  tree  of  life,  which 
is  in  the  midst  of  the  Paradise  of  God."  Here, 
Christ  teaches  us  that  by  coming  to  this  earth  and 
accomplishing  victoriously  the  purpose  of  our  com- 
ing, we  shall  enter  into  the  Paradise  of  God,  eat  of 
the  Tree  of  Life  and  live  forever  with  God.  From 
this  teaching,  we  learn  that  the  Garden  of  Eden  is 
the  Paradise  of  God  ;  for  the  Tree  of  Life  grew  in. 
Eden.  We  certainly  do  not  understand  that  our 
eternity  of  reward  for  victory  in  this  life,  will  be 
to  live  with  God  our  Creator,  between  the  two 
rivers  Euphrates  and  Tigris.  Christ  taught  also 
in  the  Gospels,  that  we  came  from  our  Father's 
house  and  that  we  shall  return  to  Him.  This  will 
be  thoroughly  explained  later.  In  the  "  Secrets  of 
Enoch  "  Chapter  8,  we  meet  the  same  description 
of  Eden,  with  slight  change  in  the  symbolism. 

"And  these  men  took  me  from  thence,  and 
brought  me  to  the  third  heaven,  and  placed  me  in 
the  midst  of  a  garden,  a  place  such  as  has  never 
been  known  before  for  the  goodliness  of  its  appear- 
ance and  I  saw  all  the  trees  of  beautiful  colors  and 
their  fruits  ripe  and  fragrant,  and  all  kinds  of  food 


Adam.  255 

which  they  produced,  springing  up  with  delightful 
fragrance,  and  in  their  midst  (there  is)  the  tree  of 
life,  in  that  place,  on  which  God  rests  when  He 
comes  into  Paradise,  and  this  tree  cannot  be 
described  for  its  excellence  and  sweet  odour — and 
it  is  beautiful  more  than  any  created  thing.  And 
on  all  sides  in  appearance  it  is  gold  and  crimson 
and  transparent  as  fire  and  it  covers  everything. 
From  its  root  in  the  garden  there  go  forth  four 
streams  which  pour  honey  and  milk,  oil  and  wine, 
and  are  separated  in  four  directions,  and  go  about 
with  a  soft  course.  And  they  go  down  to  the  Para- 
dise of  Eden,  between  corruptibility  and  incor- 
ruptibility. And  thence  they  go  along  the  earth, 
and  have  a  revolution  in  their  circle  like  also  the 
other  elements.  And  there  is  another  tree,  an  olive 
tree  always  distilling  oil,  and  there  is  no  tree  there 
without  any  fruit,  and  every  tree  is  blessed,  and 
there  are  three  hundred  angels  very  glorious,  who 
keep  the  garden  and  with  never  ceasing  voices  and 
blessed  singing,  they  serve  the  Lord  every  day. 
And  I  said — *  What  a  very  blessed  place  this  is. ' " 

The  "  Tree  of  Life  upon  which  God  rests  when 
He  comes  into  Paradise,"  is  the  Manifestation  of 
God  the  Infinite,  to  His  creatures.  "From  its 
root,  there  go  forth  four  streams."  The  "olive 
tree  always  distilling  oil ' '  is  the  Tree  of  Knowl- 
edge of  Good  and  Evil,  the  cause  of  our  leaving 
the  Paradise  of  God  and  coming  upon  the  earth. 

The  other  trees  in  Paradise,  represent  the  souls 
of  the  human  race.  Christ  used  this  symbolism 
when  He  said  John  15,  "  I  am  the  vine,  ye  are  the 


256  Adam. 

branches;  my  Father  is  the  husbandman."  In 
the  parable  of  the  Vineyard,  Luke  20,  9-16,  Christ 
taught  us  the  same  truth ;  that  God  *'  planted  a 
vineyard,  and  went  into  another  country  for  a  long 
time,"  leaving  it  to  the  care  of  husbandmen. 
Human  souls  are  therefore,  the  trees  in  the  Garden 
of  Eden,  which  are  watered  by  the  four  rivers 
branching  from  God  the  Tree  of  Life  or  the  Great 
River,  in  the  midst  of  the  Garden. 

The  Tree  of  Knowledge  is  likewise  a  symbol  of 
the  Manifestation  of  God  to  His  creatures.  This 
teaching  is  not  confined  to  the  Bible,  but  is  found 
in  the  scriptures  of  other  religions.  Wherever  the 
symbols  of  the  two  trees  are  found,  they  represent 
the  image  of  the  Supreme  God  manifested  to  His 
creatures.  Geikie  "  Hours  with  the  Bible "  page 
98.  "  The  trees  of  life  and  the  knowledge  of  good 
and  evil  have  been  no  less  widely  remembered. 
The  Indian  tradition  speaks  of  the  tree  Kalpank- 
sham,  whose  fruit  gave  immortality ;  among  the 
Persians  a  similar  tree  was  called  Hom ;  among 
the  Arabs  the  Tuba ;  among  the  Greeks  the  Lotus. 
On  the  Assyrian  sculptures  the  tree  of  life  is  con- 
stantly seen,  and  its  high  importance  cannot  be 
doubted.  It  sometimes  appears  alone,  sometimes 
worshiped  by  royal  figures,  at  other  times  guarded 
by  winged  forms  in  attitude  of  adoration ;  but  is 
always  incontrovertibly  one  of  the  loftiest  of  re- 
ligious symbols,  for  we  often  see  it  surmounted  by 
the  winged  disk,  the  symbolic  image  of  the  Supreme 
God,  with  occasionally  a  human  bust  above  it. 
Alike  on  the  bas-reliefs  of  Assyrian  palaces,  and  on 


Adam.  257 

both  Babylonian  and  Assyrian  cylinders,  it  recurs 
with  striking  constancy." 

Also  in  the  Book  of  Enoch,  25,  3  and  4 — *'  And 
he  answered  me  by  saying — '  This  high  mountain 
which  thou  hast  seen,  whose  summit  is  like  the 
throne  of  God,  is  the  throne  where  the  holy  and 
great  God  of  Glory,  the  Eternal  King  will  sit  when 
He  shall  descend  to  visit  the  earth  with  goodness. ' 
And  this  tree  of  beautiful  fragrance  cannot  be 
touched  by  any  flesh  until  the  time  of  the  great 
judgment ;  when  all  things  will  be  atoned  for  and 
consummated  for  eternity;  this  will  be  given  to  the 
just  and  humble." 

The  same  truth  is  found  in  the  prophecies  of 
Ezekiel  17,  22  and  23, — "Thus  saith  the  Lord 
God  ;  I  will  also  take  of  the  highest  branch  of  the 
high  cedar  and  will  set  it ;  I  will  crop  off  from  the 
top  of  his  young  twigs  a  tender  one,  and  will  plant 
it  upon  a  high  mountain  and  eminent.  In  the 
mountain  of  the  height  of  Israel  will  I  plant  it ; 
and  it  shall  bring  forth  boughs  and  bear  fruit,  and 
be  a  goodly  cedar,  and  under  it  shall  dwell  all  fowl 
of  every  wing;  in  the  shadow  of  the  branches 
thereof  shall  they  dwell." 

If  the  location  of  the  Garden  of  Eden  is  sym- 
bolical of  a  spiritual  existence,  what  of  the  action 
recorded?  It  is  evident  that  the  souls  in  the 
Paradise  of  God,  ate  of  the  fruit  of  the  Tree  of 
Knowledge,  knowingly.  That  is  to  say,  they  par- 
took of  it  independently.  The  inevitable  deduction 
is  that  they  received  it  by  asking  for  it.  In  the 
narration  it  is  said  that  ''the  serpent"  tempted 


^58  Adam. 

them  to  eat,  after  which  they  were  driven  out  of 
Paradise.  As  the  Garden  of  Eden  had  no  material 
existence,  we  must  conclude  that  no  actual  serpent 
existed  there.  The  serpent,  since  the  most  ancient 
times,  has  been  and  still  is  the  symbol  of  "wis- 
dom." Christ  said,  Matt.  lo,  i6 — "Be  ye  therefore 
wise  as  serpents."  Among  the  Chaldeans,  Egyp- 
tians, Hebrews  and  Greeks,  this  significance  of  the 
serpent  symbol  was  universal.  The  brazen  serpent 
set  up  by  Moses  to  represent  wisdom,  was  destroyed 
by  Hezekiah,  when  he  found  it  had  become  an  ob- 
ject of  idolatry.  Afterward  it  became  the  symbol 
of  evil,  and  was  incorporated  into  early  Christian 
belief,  to  typify  the  devil  or  Satan. 

"Secrets  of  Enoch"  p.  14  (Note  by  R.  H. 
Charles). 

"The  serpent  was  anciently  a  symbol  of  wisdom 
and  healing,  among  the  Greeks,  the  Egyptians 
(Brugsch  Rel.  and  Myth  pp  103-4)  ^^^  ^^^  He- 
brews, (Num.  21,  8-9;  II  Kings  18,  4;  Matt.  10, 16; 
John  3, 14);  Hezekiah's  destruction  of  the  "brazen 
serpent"  as  associated  with  idolatry  may  have  caused 
the  symbol  to  bear  almost  without  exception  an 
evil  significance  in  later  times,  so  that  at  last  it 
became  a  designation  of  Satan." 

As  the  serpent  symbolizes  wisdom,  and  as  the 
human  race  of  souls  existing  in  Paradise,  asked  for 
the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil,  we  establish  the 
fact  that  their  own  knowledge  or  wisdom  impelled 
them  to  take  this  great  step,  for  which  they  were 
banished  from  Paradise  to  "till  the  earth."  The 
knowledge  of  good  and  evil  is  distinctly  the  power 


Adam.  259 

of  independence  which  is  possessed  only  by  God  and 
Man.  The  function  of  independence  is  to  choose 
good.  Choosing  evil  is  misuse  and  violation  of  its 
true  function.  We  cannot  possibly  hold  that  the 
function  of  our  independence  is  to  choose  evil.  A 
horse  grazing  in  a  field,  will  eat  of  many  herbs, 
leaves  and  grasses,  but  refuse  others.  The  power 
of  selection,  the  instinct  which  governs  the  horse 
in  this  discrimination  between  nutritious  food  and 
poisonous  plants,  was  not  given  him  for  the  pur- 
pose of  enabling  him  to  eat  the  poison.  The  func- 
tion of  his  power  of  selection  is  distinctly  to  choose 
that  which  is  good  and  refuse  that  which  is 
detrimental  and  injurious.  Similarly,  the  power 
of  independence,  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil, 
possessed  by  man,  is  intended  for  his  elevation  and 
development.  We  therefore  came  upon  the  earth 
to  gain  knowledge ;  tempted  or  persuaded  by  the 
wisdom  we  already  possessed,  to  take  upon  our- 
selves the  process  of  earth  life,  in  order  to  increase 
our  knowledge.  The  real  "fall  of  man"  was, 
therefore,  the  consent  and  willingness  of  the  race 
of  human  souls  to  undergo  a  process,  a  period  of 
trial  and  testing  in  the  environment  of  the  flesh, 
in  order  to  attain  a  higher  attitude  of  knowledge 
before  God  our  Creator.  In  the  universe  of  God, 
there  is  no  accomplishment  without  process.  If 
we  wish  to  reach  the  top  floor  of  a  building,  we 
must  climb  the  stairs ;  to  read  Shakespeare,  we 
must  study  the  alphabet.  Process  is  inevitable, 
materially  and  spiritually. 

In    "Chaldean     Genesis"    G.  G.  Smith     says 


26o  Adam. 

"Judging  from  the  fragments  discovered,  it  appears 
probable  that  there  were  in  the  royal  library  at 
Nineveh  over  ten  thousand  inscribed  tablets,  includ- 
ing almost  every  subject  in  ancient  literature.  By 
far  the  greater  number  of  the  tablets  brought  from 
Nineveh  belonged  to  the  age  of  Assurbanipal  who 
reigned  over  Assyria  B.  C.  670  and  every  copy  of 
the  Genesis  legends  yet  found  was  inscribed  during 
his  reign.  It  is  stated  that  these  tablets  are  not 
the  originals,  but  only  copies  from  earlier  texts. 
The  date  of  the  original  copies  is  never  preserved. 
The  Assyrians  acknowledged  that  this  literature 
was  borrowed  from  Babylonian  sources.  The 
Izdubar  legends  containing  the  story  of  the  flood 
were  probably  written  B.  C.  2000.  These  legends 
were,  however,  traditions  before  they  were  com- 
mitted to  writing  and  were  common  in  some  form 
to  all  the  country.  It  seems  from  the  indications 
in  the  inscriptions  that  there  happened  in  the 
interval  B.  C.  2000  to  B.  C.  1850  a  general  collect- 
ing and  development  of  the  various  traditions  of 
the  Creation,  Flood,  Tower  of  Babel  and  other 
similar  legends.  The  Assyrians  state  that  these 
documents  were  copied  from  ancient  Babylonian 
copies,  and  in  some  cases  state  that  the  old  copies 
were  partly  illegible  even  in  their  days. 

"There  is  nothing  in  the  present  fragments  (p. 
88)  indicating  a  belief  in  the  Garden  of  Eden  or  the 
Tree  of  Knowledge;  there  is  only  an  obscure  allu- 
sion in  lines  16  and  22  to  a  thirst  for  knowledge 
having  been  a  cause  for  man's  fall." 

In   "Book  of  Enoch"  32,  6,— "Then  the  holy 


Adam.  261 

angel  Rufael,  who  was  with  me,  answered  and  said 
to  me:  *  This  is  the  tree  of  wisdom  from  which  thy 
old  father  and  thy  aged  mother,  who  were  before 
thee;  etc.  and  they  learned  wisdom,  and  their  eyes 
were  opened  and  they  learned  that  they  were  naked 
and  were  driven  out  of  the  garden. ' ' 

We  read  in  the  Bible  that  after  the  expulsion 
from  Paradise,  God  placed  a  "  Flaming  Sword  "  be- 
tween Adam  and  the  Tree  of  Life,  to  prevent  him 
from  reaching  it.  It  is  obvious  that  God  is  willing 
that  man  shall  eat  of  the  Tree  of  Life,  but  not 
until  he  is  fitted  for  and  justly  deserves  it  by  the 
accomplishment  of  a  certain  process  or  purpose. 
This  purpose  must  be  accomplished  and  attained 
upon  the  earth,  and,  as  it  is  a  hardship,  a  difficulty, 
a  state  of  pain  and  suffering,  it  resembles  passing 
a  ' '  flaming  sword ' '  to  reach  the  Tree  of  Life. 
The  flaming  sword  symbolizes  the  place  of  suffer- 
ing, pain  and  death,  which  must  be  passed  through 
before  the  privilege  of  eating  the  fruits  of  the  Tree 
of  Life  can  be  attained.  The  earth  is  therefore  the 
"flaming  sword."  Our  race  of  souls  came  upon 
the  earth  from  the  Paradise  of  God,  for  a  short 
duration  of  time,  either  to  be  fitted  for  everlasting 
life  with  God  or  to  be  cast  out  from  His  Face,  by 
rejecting  Him. 

The  idea  and  teaching  of  the  "flaming  sword," 
expressed  in  different  symbolism,  is  found  among 
the  beliefs  of  nearly  all  the  races  of  the  world.  In 
"Ten  Great  Religions"  p.  320,  James  Freeman 
Clark  says  "We  learn  that  the  Greeks  supposed 
that  every  soul  must  cross  the  river  Styx  in  Charon's 


262  Adam. 

boat ;  that  the  Persians  thought  the  departed  must 
cross  above  the  abyss  of  woe  on  the  arch  of  the 
rainbow;  and  that  the  Koran  teaches  that  they 
must  go  over  on  the  bridge  El  Sirat,  whose  blade 
is  sharp  as  a  cimitar ;  and  even  Christians  speak  of 
passing  over  a  mythical  Jordan. 

**The  missionaries  were  told  by  the  Hurons  and 
Iroquois  that  the  soul  after  death  must  cross  a  deep 
rapid  river  on  a  bridge  made  of  a  slender  and  ill- 
poised  tree;  another  tribe  believed  in* crossing  a 
river  in  a  stone  canoe,  another  in  going  over  a 
stream  on  a  bridge  made  of  an  enormous  serpent 
The  Indians  of  Chili,  the  Aztecs  and  the  Esqui- 
maux had  similar  legends.  All  these  notions 
sprang  up  naturally,  among  primitive  people,  be- 
fore bridges  were  built,  the  chief  difficulty  a  trav- 
eler encountered  was  in  crossing  a  river  or  a  branch 
of  the  sea.  They  naturally  thought  that  in  the 
long  journey  from  this  world  to  the  next,  some 
similar  difficulty  would  be  found." 

It  is  a  mistake  to  suppose  that  these  difficulties 
are  to  be  passed  through  after  death.  Only  upon 
this  earth  can  we  accomplish  the  privilege  of  eating 
of  the  Tree  of  Life  ;  for  this  is  the  place  appointed 
by  God  to  be  the  testing-ground  of  human  action. 
If  it  were  possible  to  attain  this  privilege  elsewhere, 
there  would  be  no  object  in  our  existence  here. 
Therefore,  as  we  cannot  attribute  to  God  the  All- 
wise,  the  performance  of  any  action  without  pur- 
pose, especially  this  great  action,  the  creation  of 
this  wonderful  earth  and  the  coming  of  the  highest 
race  in  the  universe,  upon  it,  we  must  conclude 


Adam.  463 

that  the  flaming  sword,  the  bridge  of  El  Sirat,  the 
River  Jordan  and  kindred  symbols,  represent  "  the 
earth." 

In  order  to  understand  and  simplify  the  records 
of  the  book  of  Genesis,  it  is  necessary  to  determine 
the  meanings  of  the  names  Adam,  Eve,  Cain  and 
Abel.  Every  proper  name  has  a  meaning  or  sig- 
nificance in  the  language  which  gave  it  origin.  In 
all  languages,  proper  names  originate  from  common 
nouns  and  are  founded  upon  some  natural  object, 
circumstance  or  event.  By  tracing  a  name  back- 
ward, we  find  its  natal  source  to  be  a  language  in 
which  it  has  an  intrinsic  meaning.  The  words 
Adam,  Eve,  Cain  and  Abel  have  no  significance  in 
English,  Hebrew,  Egyptian,  Arabic,  etc.  It  has 
been  found,  however,  that  they  have  a  definite 
meaning  in  the  Accadian  language,  which  is 
spoken  by  the  Kurds,  a  people  of  Kurdistan,  iji 
Asia  Minor.  This  conclusively  proves  that  the 
earliest  language  of  which  we  have  trace  or  record, 
is  the  Accadian  or  Kurdish. 

In  this  language,  "  Adam  "  or  "  Adeem  "  means 
"  the  cover  of  the  thing,"  its  "  surface  "  or  rather 
"skin  ; "  and  as  the  body  of  a  man  is  the  "tent" 
or  "cover"  in  which  the  soul  lives,  it  was  called 
"Adeem  "  or  the  "  skin."  Those  who  claim  that 
it  applies  to  the  red  color  of  soil  or  earth,  are  mis- 
taken. "Eve"  or  "Hhowaa,"  is  "life"  or  a 
"living  soul."  The  union  or  combination  of 
"Adam"  the  "  body  "  or  "  tent "  and  "Eve  "the 
"living  soul,"  which  perfectly  expresses  the  creation 
of  man,  is  set  forth  in  Genesis  2,  7 — "  And  the 


a64  Adam. 

Lord  God  formed  man  of  the  dust  of  the  ground 
and  breathed  into  his  nostrils  the  breath  of  life ; 
and  man  became  a  living  soul." 

In  Job  19,  26 — The  body  of  man,  or  "  Adam  "  is 
rendered  as  "  skin  " — "  And  though  after  my  skin 
worms  destroy  this  body,  yet  in  my  flesh  shall  I  see 
God.'*  "Cain"  or  "Ca-in"  means  "earthly  pos- 
session," "material,"  and  sometimes  a  "mineral 
that  is  used  for  a  spear  head."  In  the  latter  sense 
we  find  Tubal-Cain,  Gen.  4,  22,  was  "  the  forger  of 
every  cutting  instrument  of  brass  and  iron." 
"  Abel  "  or  "  Abeel "  means  the  "  Son  of  God." 
With  this  knowledge  of  the  true  significance  of 
these  proper  names,  the  interpretation  of  the  sym- 
bolism thus  far  proves  as  follows: — Our  race,  or 
Adam  (which  is  a  term  applied  not  only  to  our  first 
earthly  parents,  but  also  to  the  whole  human  race, 
as  we  frequently  find  it  used  in  the  Bible),  was  in 
the  Garden  of  Eden,  or  the  Paradise  of  God  ;  a  race 
of  souls  perfect  in  the  limitation  in  which  God  had 
created  them.  In  this  spiritual  plane,  they  existed 
without  sorrow,  pain  or  death  ;  without  the  knowl- 
edge of  good  and  evil ;  incapable  of  rising  above 
their  limitation,  yet  possessing  knowledge  or  wis- 
dom which  gave  them  thirst  or  desire  to  rise  into 
a  higher  attitude  before  God  than  the  limitation  in 
which  they  had  been  created.  The  "serpent," 
that  is  to  say,  the  wisdom  they  gained  when  they 
learned  that  God  the  Infinite,  the  Creator,  had 
decided  from  eternity,  to  take  unto  himself  a  Form, 
an  Image,  in  order  that  His  finite  creatures  might 
comprehend  the  Invisible  through  the  Visible  Mani- 


Adam.  265 

festation;  and  that  He  had  appointed  this  globe  to 
be  the  place  where  He  would  manifest  Himself  in 
this  Image :  the  "  serpent "  Wisdom  urged  them 
to  ask  their  Creator  that  they  might  take  an  Image 
like  His  Own  and  rise  higher  toward  the  State  of 
Divinity.  In  this,  they  sought  to  be  like  Him  ;  to 
attain  His  characteristics,  knowing  good  from  evil. 
This  grafting  into  His  Own  Image,  is  eating  the 
fruit  of  the  Tree  of  Knowledge ;  for  if  we  were  not 
made  after  His  Image,  we  could  not  be  fitted  to 
live  with  Him  and  be  adopted  as  His  children. 
The  horse  is  not  fitted  to  live  with  man  and  partici- 
pate in  human  accomplishment,  for  the  reason  that 
the  horse  is  not  "  after  the  image  "  of  man.  To  live 
with  God  and  be  naturalized  into  Divinity,  we 
must  undergo  the  process  of  a  life  upon  earth,  in 
His  Own  Image.  God  granted  this  petition  of  our 
race  of  souls,  upon  the  conditions  to  which  we  now, 
as  human  beings  upon  the  earth,  are  subject. 
Under  these  conditions,  we  must  come  here,  im- 
prisoned in  this  mold  of  clay,  which  is  the  Image 
of  God ;  our  tablets  of  memory  sealed  and  locked, 
in  order  that  we  may  not  remember  our  previous 
existence  and  thus  have  free  exercise  of  our  power 
of  independence,  which  is  the  knowledge  and 
choice  of  good  and  evil ;  our  existence  hampered 
and  beset  upon  every  side  with  earthly  hindrances 
and  trials,  in  order  that  through  all  our  probation 
and  testing,  we  may  prove  our  worthiness  for  re- 
ward, by  clinging  with  love  to  God,  acknowledging 
Him  in  pain  and  sorrow  as  well  as  in  earthly  hap- 
piness, to  be  our  God,  Father  and  Almighty  Creator. 


2^  Adam. 

The  difficulty  of  these  apparently  simple  conditions, 
is  realized  by  looking  at  humanity  about  us.  To- 
day, millions  are  denying  their  Creator ;  millions 
are  entertaining  false  and  ridiculous  ideas  as  to 
how  our  race  and  all  living  creatures  originated. 
The  prophet  Jeremiah  2,27  says — "  They  say  to  a 
stock.  Thou  art  my  father,  and  to  a  stone,  Thou 
hast  brought  me  forth ;  for  they  have  turned  their 
back  unto  me  and  not  their  face  ;  but  in  the  time 
of  their  trouble  they  will  say.  Arise  and  save  us." 

God  has  bestowed  upon  us  the  gift  of  independ- 
ence, the  God-power  of  will,  that  we  may  perform 
our  duties  toward  Him  and  toward  ourselves,  from 
our  own  wish  and  accord.  Those  who  fulfill  these 
conditions,  will  be  grafted  into  the  Tree  of  Life  and 
live  with  Him  forever,  while  those  who  fail  in  their 
fulfillment,  will  be  shut  out  from  the  Paradise  of 
God,  prevented  from  eating  the  food  of  that 
blessed  Tree,  and  cast  out  from  His  Face.  This, 
as  we  shall  see  later,  is  the  condition  of ' '  Cain  " 
in  the  land  of  Nod,  to  which  land,  souls  not  com- 
petent to  fill  the  high  position  of  reward  as  the 
Children  of  God,  must  go  in  punishment. 

"  Secrets  of  Enoch  "  30,  15 — "  And  I  gave  him 
his  will,  and  I  showed  him  the  two  ways,  the  light 
and  the  darkness.  And  I  said  unto  him  '  This  is 
good  and  this  is  evil;'  that  I  should  know  whether 
he  has  love  for  Me  or  hate  ;  that  he  should  appear 
in  his  race  as  loving  Me."  Jesus  taught  the  same 
point  in  Matt  12,  30 — "  He  that  is  not  with  me  is 
against  me.'* 

We  see,  therefore,  that  God   gave   us  our   in- 


Adam.  267 

dependence  to  choose  or  refuse  Him,  in  order  that 
we  may  be  like  Him,  independent  as  He  is  in- 
dependent. If  we  were  not  independent,  we  could 
not  attain  the  attitude  of  Divinity.  The  fact  that 
our  tablet  of  memory  is  locked,  proves  that  we 
shall  be  judged  by  the  use  we  make  of  this  God- 
power  of  independence,  during  our  earth-life.  We 
are  being  tested  in  its  use  or  misuse,  to  show 
our  fitness  or  unfitness  for  grafting  into  Him  as 
His  sons  and  children.  For  this  reason,  we  are 
able  to  sin,  while  the  angels,  or  other  races  of 
souls  who  are  not  so  tested,  who  are  without  the 
power  of  independence,  cannot  commit  sin.  As 
they  are  not  independent,  they  are  not  responsible. 
They  are  controlled  by  God,  and  He  is  responsible 
for  them. 

Cyril  of  Jerusalem  said  **  A  free  agent  alone  can 
commit  sin."  Therefore  the  souls  which  show 
their  standard  by  loving  God  while  upon  this  earth, 
will  pass  the  "  Flaming  Sword"  victoriously,  return 
to  the  Paradise  of  God,  eat  of  the  Tree  of  Life  as 
Gods  and  the  adopted  Children  of  God  forever. 

This  is  the  cause  of  the  coming  of  man  upon 
earth,  and  the  true  meaning  of  the  "  Fall  of  Man." 
We  did  not  "  fall  "  by  eating  of  the  Tree  of  Knowl- 
edge ;  we  did  not  commit  sin  by  partaking  of  that 
blessed  fruit,  but  in  reality  performed  an  action 
highly  beneficial  to  ourselves,  by  which  we  may 
accomplish  an  immeasurable  "rise."  The  "Fall 
of  Man  "  was  therefore  the  passing  out  of  our  race 
of  souls  from  the  spiritual  realms  of  the  Garden  of 
Eden,  to  attain  a  great  privilege  and  be  fitted  to 


268  Adam. 

become  Gods.  Eternal  glory  and  gratitude  to 
"Eve"  the  "woman,"  instead  of  the  stigma  of  re- 
sponsibility laid  upon  her  by  those  whose  eyes  are 
blinded  to  the  truth. 

The  temptation  of  Adam  (the  race  of  souls  in 
the  Garden  of  Eden),  by  the  serpent  Wisdom,  is 
further  set  forth  and  the  scriptural  truth  clarified, 
in  the  sacred  narrative  in  Genesis  3  3-5.  "  But  of 
the  fruit  of  the  tree  which  is  in  the  midst  of  the 
garden,  God  hath  said  ye  shall  not  eat  of  it,  neither 
shall  ye  touch  it,  lest  ye  die.  And  the  serpent 
said  unto  the  woman  Ye  shall  not  surely  die  ;  for 
God  doth  know  that  in  the  day  ye  eat  thereof, 
then  your  eyes  shall  be  opened ;  and  ye  shall  be  as 
gods,  knowing  good  and  evil. ' ' 

This  teaches  that  our  race  of  souls,  after  arguing 
with  the  serpent  and  thinking  over  the  opportunity 
for  attaining  a  higher  and  supreme  limitation  be- 
fore God,  realized  the  greatness  of  it,  overcame 
hesitation,  and  consented  willingly  to  undergo  the 
process  of  trial  in  the  body,  the  end  whereof  is 
death.  And,  although  realizing  that  death  was  the 
culmination  of  this  process,  we  knew  also  that  by 
it,  we  should  attain  unto  everlasting  life  as  gods. 

Having  taken  this  great  step,  by  consenting  will- 
ingly to  undergo  the  process  of  life  upon  the  earth, 
the  souls  of  our  race  found  themselves  "  naked  "  in 
the  Garden  of  Eden,  that  is  to  say,  deprived  of  the 
privilege  they  sought  by  eating  of  the  Tree  of 
Knowledge,  and  unable  to  accomplish  it  through 
their  own  eflforts.  This  condition  of  helplessness  is 
symbolized  by  the  efforts  of  Adam  and  Eve  to 
cover  their  nakedness  with  fig  leaves. 


Adam.  269 

"  And  the  Lord  God  made  for  Adam  and  for  his 
wife,  coats  of  skins,  and  clothed  them."     Genesis, 

3)  21. 

God  the  merciful  and  loving  Creator  came  to  the 
assistance  of  these  naked,  helpless  souls,  and  tailored 
by  His  Mighty  Hand,  two  "coats  of  skins,"  one 
male  and  the  other  female ;  and  into  these  two 
skins,  bodies  or  "  Adeems,"  entered,  by  His  com- 
mand, the  first  two  souls  from  Paradise.  This 
wonderful  body  of  man  is  a  product  of  the  creative 
wisdom  of  God.  It  is  the  material  form,  made 
after  the  Image  of  God  Himself.  *'  And  God  said, 
let  us  make  man  in  our  image,  after  our  likeness." 
Genesis  i,  26.  Thus  Adam,  by  accepting  God's 
conditions,  left  the  Garden  of  Eden,  "  driven  from 
it,"  and  came  upon  the  earth  to  accomplish  the 
purpose  of  befitting  himself  for  the  higher  position 
of  a  god ;  knowing  beforehand,  that  he  must 
endure  sorrow,  sufiering  and  death,  for  God  had 
said  unto  him,  "  The  day  you  eat,  death  you  shall 
die." 

At  the  same  time,  God  placed  between  him  and 
the  Tree  of  Life,  a  "  Flaming  Sword,"  the  Bridge, 
the  Sirat,  this  earth,  with  its  hardships  and  diffi- 
culties, that  he  might  learn  to  use  rightly  the 
weapon  of  independence  which  God  gave  him,  and 
attain  from  his  own  free  will,  the  great  blessing  of 
becoming  a  god. 

Concerning  the  scriptural  record  that  God  formed 
woman  from  a  rib  taken  out  of  the  man's  body,  we 
are  taught  by  it,  that  as  rib  means  a  support,  so 
God  the  Almighty,  made  Adam  of  two  sexes,  male 


ayo  Adam. 

and  female,  to  support  each  other  during  their  ex- 
istence upon  the  earth.  Upon  each  sex,  he  laid 
special  duties  and  functions,  through  which  other 
human  bodies  should  be  brought  into  existence. 
The  sexes  therefore  are  equal  materially  and  spir- 
itually. 

Having  created  these  human  bodies  or  skins,  one 
male,  and  the  other  female,  He  endowed  them  with 
the  power  of  growth,  the  power  of  reproduction, 
like  unto  a  factory  composed  of  two  parts,  by  which 
other  tents  or  bodies  should  be  woven,  into  which 
the  rest  of  our  race  of  souls  might  come,  take  the 
form  after  the  image  of  God,  and  attain  the  same 
privilege.  According  to  the  same  plan.  He  also 
made  the  races  of  beasts,  birds,  fishes  and  some 
species  of  the  vegetable  kingdom.  In  all  these, 
God  created  the  first  pair,  and  endowed  them  with 
the  power  of  reproduction.  The  child  comes  from 
the  mother,  the  seed  from  the  tree.  It  is  not  nec- 
essary, therefore,  for  God  to  create  a  new  human 
body  for  each  soul  that  comes  upon  the  earth. 
From  our  first  parents,  came  the  whole  human  race. 
I/ikewise  from  a  single  tree,  or  in  some  cases  from 
two  trees,  came  all  the  forests  of  the  earth. 

The  third  Adam  or  Adam  the  Man,  received  his 
name  as  a  title  of  honor,  for  he  bore  the  image  of 
God  His  Creator,  the  Form  of  the  manifestation  of 
the  Supreme  Being.  Adam  the  Man  was  endowed 
with  faculties  and  powers  which  enabled  him  to 
understand  the  operation  of  natural  laws  and  con- 
ditions of  the  surrounding  existence.  By  this  en- 
dowment of  knowledge,  he  was  made  capable  of 


Adam.  271 

applying  the  material  existence  to  his  benefit.  We 
have  sufficient  evidence  to  believe  that  God  the 
Creator  revealed  to  our  first  parents,  many  things 
material  and  spiritual,  to  increase  the  capital  of 
their  knowledge  and  experience,  thus  enabling 
them  to  fulfill  their  material  and  spiritual  duties 
and  transmit  their  knowledge  to  their  offspring. 
As  these  revelations  of  intelligence  came  direct 
from  God,  Adam  was  a  prophet.  We  know  that 
the  cereals,  many  herbs,  fruits,  etc.  appeared  upon 
the  earth  with  the  coming  of  man,  for  according  to 
geological  evidence,  there  are  no  traces  of  their 
existence  before  that  period.  Furthermore,  we 
know  that  most  of  the  above  mentioned  products 
of  the  earth,  were  distinctly  intended  for  man's 
sustenance,  since  without  human  cultivation,  they 
retrograde  in  quality  and  ultimately  disappear. 

Our  first  parents,  in  the  weakness  of  their  human 
natures,  sinned  against  the  perfect  laws  of  God. 
No  human  creature  can  live  without  committing 
sins  and  mistakes.  Surrounded  by  the  attractions 
of  earthly  existence,  which  tempted  him  to  gratify 
his  material  desires,  Adam,  as  a  finite  creature, 
failed  to  comprehend  the  will  of  God  and  neglected 
the  way  of  knowing  Him  through  human  compre- 
hension. God  promised  him  help,  and  revealed  to 
him  that  through  his  offspring  should  come  one 
who  would  lift  up  the  fallen  race  and  guide 
men  to  the  real  knowledge  of  their  Creator, 
the  Infinite.  God  revealed  His  intention  of  mani- 
festing Himself  to  His  creatures,  in  fulfillment  of 
the  promise  our  race  of  souls  had  received  in  the 


272  Adam. 

Garden  of  Eden ;  that  He  Himself  would  guide 
and  teach  men  to  know  Him.  Christ  taught  this 
truth  in  the  parable  of  the  "  Prodigal  Son,"  when 
He  said  the  Father  came  to  the  help  of  His  son. 
The  sins  and  mistakes  of  Adam  and  Eve,  the 
first  human  pair,  did  not  cause  the  "  Fall  of  Man," 
the  expulsion  from  the  Garden  of  Eden,  as  is  gen- 
erally taught  and  believed.  Their  sins  were  the 
consequence  of  imprisonment  in  this  body  of  dust. 
This  imprisonment  is  typified  by  the  symbol  of  the 
serpent  cursed,  condemned  to  crawl  upon  the 
ground  and  eat  dust  all  the  days  of  its  life.  The 
interpretation  of  this  symbol  shows  us  that,  as 
through  the  serpent  wisdom,  our  own  knowledge, 
we  came  from  the  spiritual  realms  to  undergo  a 
process  of  trial  and  suffering  upon  the  earth,  that 
same  serpent  or  soul-knowledge  was  cursed  or  sent 
upon  the  earth,  to  undergo  the  process  with  us. 
As  we  were  cast  downward  from  a  high  plane  of 
existence  to  the  dust  of  an  earthly  environment,  to 
live  in  this  prison  of  clay,  so  the  serpent,  our  soul 
— ^wisdom,  was  sent  with  us,  imprisoned  as  we  are 
imprisoned  and  forced  to  communicate  only  through 
the  material  avenues  of  the  five  senses  in  gaining 
knowledge  and  understanding.  In  this  way,  the 
serpent  should  "  eat  the  dust  of  the  earth  all  the 
days  of  its  life. " 

* '  And  I  will  put  enmity  between  thee  and  the 
woman,  and  between  thy  seed  and  her  seed ;  it 
shall  bruise  thy  head,  and  thou  shalt  bruise  its 
heel. "  Genesis  3, 15.  The  meaning  of  this  enmity 
between  man  and  the  serpent,  is,  that  when  we 


Adam.  373 

perform  good  actions  and  make  rightful  use  of  the 
faculties  given  us  during  our  earth  life,  the  serpent 
wisdom  will  have  nothing  to  say  against  us,  re- 
maining silent,  without  rebuke,  as  if  its  head  were 
bruised;  but  if  we  ill-use  these  gifts  and  act 
wickedly,  the  serpent  wisdom  will  "bruise  our 
heel,"  that  is  condemn  our  transgressions.  No 
man  commits  sin  unless  condemned  by  his  reason 
and  judgment,  and  as  our  life  is  likened  to  a  jour- 
ney upon  the  road  to  eternity,  so  our  actions  form 
the  steps  of  that  journey.  If  we  walk  crookedly, 
the  serpent  wisdom  by  its  reproach  and  condemna- 
tion, will  bruise  or  bite  our  heels  to  straighten  our 
steps,  rebuking  us,  that  we  may  correct  our  actions 
and  do  rightly. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

ADAM  (gain  and  ABEL,). 

We  read  in  the  Fourth  Chapter  of  Genesis,  that 
the  first  children  of  Adam  and  Eve,  were  two  sons, 
Cain  and  Abel ;  that  "  Cain  was  a  tiller  of  the 
ground  and  Abel  a  keeper  of  sheep  ; "  that  "  Cain 
brought  of  the  fruit  of  the  ground,  an  offering  unto 
the  Lord,  and  Abel  he  also  brought  of  the  first- 
lings of  his  flock  and  of  the  fat  thereof;"  that 
"  the  Lord  had  respect  unto  Abel  and  his  offer- 
ing, but  unto  Cain  and  to  his  offering  He  had  not 
respect."  On  this  account,  the  jealous  Cain  slew 
Abel  and  while  God  rebuked  him,  Cain  expressed 
the  fear  that  ' '  Whosoever  findeth  me  shall  slay 
me."  To  protect  Cain  from  harm,  God  gave  him 
a  mark  or  sign,  after  which,  Cain  "  went  out  from 
the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and  dwelt  in  the  land  of 
Nod,  on  the  east  of  Eden." 

The  record  of  Cain  probably  contains  more  dif- 
ficulties of  interpretation  and  contradictory  state- 
ments, than  any  other  narration  of  scripture.  In 
the  fourteenth  verse  of  the  fourth  chapter  of 
Genesis,  it  is  said  that  Cain  was  "  driven  out  from 
the  face  of  the  ground; "that  he  should  be  a 
"fugitive  and  a  wanderer  in  the  earth;"  that  he 
should  be  " hid  from  the  face  of  God "  and  "slain 
by  whosoever  found  him."  If  Cain,  after  Abel's 
death,  was  the  only  human  being  upon  the  earth 

275 


276  Adam  (Cain  and  Abel). 

besides  Adam  and  Eve,  there  could  be  no  reason 
for  Cain's  fear,  neither  could  Cain  be  "  driven  out 
from  the  face  of  the  ground  "  and  still  be  a  "  fugi- 
tive in  the  earth  ;"  nor  could  he  be  "  hid  from  the 
face  "  of  the  omnipresent  God. 

Cain  and  Abel  were  figurative  personages,  and 
not  literally  two  sons  of  Adam  and  Eve.  Through 
this  allegory,  we  understand  that  our  race  knew 
from  God,  what  would  be  our  condition  if  we  did 
not  "overcome"  during  the  process  of  our  earth 
life.  The  fact  that  we  consented  to  undergo  the 
process,  notwithstanding  this  knowledge  and  warn- 
ing, shows  that  we  acknowledged  the  justice  of 
God's  conditions.  Therefore,  in  the  earth  life, 
mankind  is  to  be  divided  into  two  great  parties,  the 
party  of  Cain  and  the  party  of  Abel.  The  party  of 
Cain  is  represented  by  those  who  set  their  hearts 
upon  the  possession  of  earthly  things,  neglect  their 
spiritual  duties  toward  God,  and  worship  Him  with 
outward  show  and  ostentation,  instead  of  worship- 
ing Him  in  spirit  and  in  truth,  as  Christ  taught. 
Cain  is  therefore  a  symbol  of  materially-minded 
humanity.  The  evidence  of  this  is  found  in  Cain's 
offering  to  God  an  offering  of  the  "  fruit  of  the 
ground,"  which  God  rejected. 

Abel  was  a  "shepherd,"  the  "Son  of  God'*  or 
"he  whose  father  is  God."  "Shepherd"  is  a 
symbol  employed  in  the  Bible,  to  designate  a  spirit- 
ual leader  or  spiritual  man  ;  a  shepherd  of  spiritual 
flocks  and  herds.  The  party  of  Abel  therefore 
symbolizes  the  spiritually-minded  division  of  hu- 
manity ;  those  who  worship  God  in  spirit  and  in 


Adam  (Cain  and  Abel).  277 

truth.  God  Himself  said  "  I  am  your  shepherd." 
As  Abel  oflfered  unto  God  "  an  offering  of  the  first- 
lings of  his  flocks,"  God  had  respect  unto  his 
spiritual  offering  and  accepted  it. 

For  this,  it  is  said,  Cain  hated  his  brother  Abel, 
and  slew  him.  Since  the  beginning  of  human  his- 
tory, the  party  of  Cain  has  hated  the  party  of  Abel. 
The  beliefs  and  actions  of  the  spiritually-minded 
man  have  ever  been  a  sting  and  rebuke  to  his  ma- 
terially-minded brother.  The  hatred  of  the  wicked 
and  ungodly  toward  the  good  and  righteous,  has 
always  been  apparent,  and  the  history  of  all  ages 
shows  that  Cain  has  been  the  persecutor  and  mur- 
derer of  his  brother  Abel.  The  lives  of  the  proph- 
ets and  messengers  sent  from  God,  testify  to  the 
violence  of  the  Cain  hatred.  Persecuted,  im- 
prisoned, stoned,  beheaded,  crucified,  their  martyr- 
dom in  the  cause  of  God  has  been  the  martyrdom 
of  Abel,  and  the  voice  of  their  blood  "  crieth  unto 
God  from  the  ground,"  against  the  sin  of  Cain  the 
murderer. 

The  fear  of  Cain  was  not  fear  of  people  of  the 
earth.  Cain's  fear  of  punishment  was  the  symbol 
of  his  terror  in  the  spiritual  realms.  As  he  said, 
he  was  "  driven  out  from  the  face  of  the  ground," 
therefore  nobody  upon  the  earth  could  do  him 
harm.  He  was  afraid  of  the  inhabitants  of  the 
land  of  Nod,  into  which  he  was  to  be  cast  away  for- 
ever. The  land  of  Nod  was  "  on  the  east  of  Eden," 
and  therefore  symbolizes  a  spiritual  existence  out- 
side the  Paradise  of  God.  It  is  an  appointed  place 
in  the  spiritual  realms,  for  those  of  our  race,  who. 


278  Adam  (Cain  and  Abel). 

having  come  upon  the  earth  with  the  opportunity 
of  choosing  God  our  Creator,  willingly  reject  Him. 
Their  judgment,  after  their  last  opportunity  has 
been  thrown  away  and  refused,  will  be  to  live 
eternally  in  the  land  of  Nod,  the  land  of  aimless 
wandering,  deprived  forever  of  the  privilege  of 
being  grafted  into  the  Tree  of  Life  and  naturalized 
into  Divinity.  For  their  sin  and  failure,  they  will 
not  be  allowed  to  enter  into  the  glorious  existence 
where  the  Manifestation  of  God  will  live  with  His 
children,  the  Abels,  forever  and  forever.  This  is 
the  meaning  of  Cain  being  cast  out  from  the  Face 
of  Almighty  God.  The  Cains  will  live  through- 
out eternity,  among  other  races  of  the  hosts  of 
heaven  ;  with  those  who  have  not  had  the  privi- 
lege of  becoming  Divine  and  the  adopted  children 
of  God. 

Of  these  hosts,  Cain  was  afraid,  realizing  that 
they  would  know  he  had  been  afforded  this  high 
privilege  and  had  willingly  rejected  it.  For  this 
reason,  he  believed  they  would  harm  him,  but  God 
the  Creator  gave  unto  Cain  a  "sign"  or  "mark" 
of  protection,  "least  any  finding  him  should  kill 
him."  That  "mark  "  is  the  human  form  in  which 
all  our  race  of  souls  must  be  tested ;  the  body 
of  man,  formed  by  God  the  Almighty  "after  His 
own  Image. "  God  would  not  take  away  from  Cain, 
the  glory  of  that  image,  but  gave  him  the  "  mark  " 
of  it  forever,  and  although  the  hosts  of  heaven 
knew  that  Cain,  the  party  of  darkness,  had  rejected 
the  opportunity  of  becoming  Divine,  and  deserved 
punishment,  would  not  dare  to  harm  him,  out  of 


Adam  (Cain  and  Abel).  279 

respect  for  the  mark  or  memory  of  God's  Own 
Image  which  he  bore.  By  this,  we  are  also  taught 
that  God  will  neither  punish  Cain,  nor  allow  him 
to  be  punished.  Cain's  rejection  of  God,  will  not 
aflfect  the  love  and  justice  of  God  toward  him. 
Cain  punishes  himself  eternally  by  self-reproach 
and  regret  for  the  loss  of  his  opportunity.  God's 
rebuke  to  him  expresses  the  judgment  He  will 
issue  when  man,  of  his  own  independence,  rejects 
Him  in  the  last  opportunity  offered. 

Abel,  the  son  of  God,  the  party  of  righteousness 
and  light,  symbolizes  those  who  fulfill  their  duty 
toward  God  and  toward  themselves.  By  this  vic- 
tory of  earthly  existence,  they  will  cross  the 
"  Flaming  Sword  "  in  triumph,  enter  the  gates  of 
Heaven,  and  live  in  that  glorious  realm  appointed 
to  be  the  residence  of  the  Manifestation  of  God, — 
the  Face  of  God.  In  His  Presence,  they  will  live 
forever,  enjoying  His  Glory,  Majesty,  Powers  and 
Blessings,  divine  in  nature,  and  ruling  the  universe 
with  Him. 

From  the  lesson  of  Cain  and  Abel,  we  learn  that 
the  purpose  of  man's  existence  upon  the  earth,  is 
to  become  the  Son  of  God  by  adoption.  Romans 
8,  14, — "For  as  many  as  are  led  by  the  spirit  of 
God,  they  are  the  sons  of  God. "  16 — "  The  Spirit 
itself  beareth  witness  with  our  spirit,  that  we  are 
the  children  of  God."  22 — "For  we  know  that 
the  whole  creation  groaneth  and  travaileth  in  pain 
together  until  now."  23 — "And  not  only  they, 
but  ourselves  also,  which  have  the  first  fruits  of  the 
spirit,  even  we  ourselves  groan  within  ourselves, 


28o  Adam  (Cain  and  Abel). 

waiting  for  the  adoption,  to  wit,  the  redemption  of 
our  body."  The  last  verse  shows  us  plainly  that 
although  they  had  the  first  fruits  of  the  Spirit  at 
the  time  of  Christ,  even  they  were  groaning  within 
themselves,  "  waiting  for  adoption,  to  wit :  the  re- 
demption of  the  body." 

In  the  third  chapter  of  the  First  Epistle  of  John, 
second  verse,  we  are  told  that  God  shall  appear; 
that  we  shall  see  Him  as  He  is  and  be  His  adopted 
children.  "  Beloved,  now  are  we  the  sons  of  God, 
and  it  doth  not  yet  appear  what  we  shall  be  ;  but 
we  know  that  when  He  shall  appear,  we  shall  be 
like  Him,  for  we  shall  see  Him  as  He  is."  See  also 
John  I,  12 — "  But  as  many  as  received  him,  to  them 
gave  he  the  right  to  become  children  of  God, 
even  to  them  that  believe  in  his  name. "  It  is  evi- 
dent therefore,  that  we  cannot  be  adopted  as  the 
children  of  God,  until  the  time  of  His  appearance 
upon  earth,  after  the  fulfillment  of  which,  all  who 
receive  Him  and  believe  in  His  name,  can  claim 
full  adoption,  for  they  have  become  in  reality  the 
Sons  of  God. 

Genesis  6,  2  — "  The  sons  of  God  saw  the 
daughters  of  men  that  they  were  fair;  and  they 
took  them  wives  of  all  which  they  chose." 

Job  I,  6 — "Now  there  was  a  day  when  the  sons 
of  God  came  to  present  themselves  before  the  Lord, 
and  Satan  came  also  among  them." 

Psalms  82,  I  and  6. — "God  standeth  in  the  con- 
gregation of  the  mighty ;  he  judge th  among  the 
gods."  "  I  have  said  ye  are  gods  ;  and  all  of  you 
are  children  of  the  most  High." 


Adam  (Cain  and  Abel).  281 

Isaiah  45,  11 — "Thus  saith  the  Lord,  the  Holy 
One  of  Israel,  and  his  Maker,  Ask  me  of  things  to 
come  concerning  my  sons,  and  concerning  the  work 
of  my  hands  command  ye  me?" 

There  are  three  symbols  of  Adam.  The  first 
Adam  is  the  Tree  of  Knowledge  and  Wisdom,  the 
first  Manifestation  of  the  Infinite.  God  the  Creator 
of  the  universe,  differs  in  the  substance  of  His 
essence,  from  the  substance  of  the  material  and 
spiritual  essences  which  He  created.  He  is  invisi- 
ble to  and  beyond  the  comprehension  of  His  crea- 
tures ;  forever  outside  the  circle  of  their  finite  limi- 
tations. He  alone  is  Infinite.  All  His  creatures 
are  finite.  It  is  more  possible  for  an  insect  to  com- 
prehend a  man,  than  for  any  of  the  highest  crea- 
tures, angels  or  archangels,  to  comprehend  the 
Mighty  Infinite,  Creator  of  the  Universe.  If  we 
were  of  the  same  essence  as  God,  we  would  possess 
the  creative  power  of  God,  whereas  we  know  that 
He  alone  is  Creator.  John  i,  18 — "No  man  hath 
seen  God  at  any  time ;  the  only  begotten  Son, 
which  is  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father,  he  hath  de- 
clared Him."  In  "Literal  Translation"  by  Roth- 
erham,  it  reads  "  No  one  hath  seen  God  at  any 
time;  an  Only-Begotten  God,  The  One  existing 
within  the  bosom  of  the  Father. — He  interpreted 
(Him)." 

This  is  the  teaching  of  the  highest  authorities  in 
the  Christian  Church.  Origen,  Vol.  i,  page  16, 
"  Invisibility  of  God,"  says — "  Not  as  some  sup- 
pose, that  the  nature  of  God  is  visible  to  some  and 
invisible  to  others;  for  the  apostle  with  unvarying 


2i2  Adam  (Cain  and  Abel). 

constancy,  pronounces  on  the  nature  of  God  in 
these  words : — "The  image  of  the  Invisible  God." 
"  Moreover,  John  in  his  Gospel,  when  asserting  that 
*No  one  hath  seen  God  at  any  time,'  manifestly 
declares  to  all  who  are  capable  of  understanding, 
that  there  is  no  nature  to  which  God  is  visible  ; 
not  as  if  He  were  a  Being  who  was  visible  by  na- 
ture and  merely  escaped  or  baffled  the  view  of  a 
frailer  creature,  but  because  by  the  nature  of  His 
Being,  it  is  impossible  for  Him  to  be  seen. " 

As  God  is  invisible  to  all  His  creatures,  it  is 
necessary  that  He  should  manifest  Himself  in  a 
finite  Image,  in  order  that  His  finite  creatures  may 
know  the  Invisible,  through  the  visible  Manifesta- 
tion. This  Manifestation  is  called  the  "Face  of 
God,"  the  "Image  of  God,"  the  "Servant  of  the 
Being,"  the  "Son  to  be  Given,"  the  "Everlasting 
Father,"  the  "Prince  of  Peace,"  the  "Lord  of 
Hosts,"  "My  Shepherd  David,"  "The  Man  that 
is  My  Fellow,"  the  "  Tree  of  Life,"  and  the  "  Tree 
of  Knowledge. "  If  God  chose  to  remain  hidden, 
secluded,  unmanifested  from  His  intellectual  crea- 
tures in  the  material  and  spiritual  realms.  His 
creatures  would  not  be  able  to  know,  love  or  wor- 
ship Him. 

We  would  then  be  led  to  deny  His  existence. 
Our  life  here  or  hereafter  would  be  of  no  conse- 
quence whatever,  if  we  were  to  be  deprived  of 
knowing  and  enjoying  Him  and  gaining  powers,  wis- 
dom, and  knowledge  from  the  All-Knowing,  the 
All-Wise.  Furthermore,  it  would  be  cruelty  and 
injustice  on  His  part,  to  deny  us  His  Manifestation. 


Adam  (Cain  and  Abel).  283 

Therefore,  from  all  eternity,  He  has  that  "  Face," 
that  "Begotten  God,"  that  "Image"  or  "Form"  in 
His  Bosom,  through  which  He  will  manifest  Him- 
self and  appear  to  interpret  the  Invisible  Infinite. 

Isaiah  43,  10 — "  Ye  are  my  witnesses,  saith  the 
Lord  and  My  Servant,  whom  I  have  chosen  :  that 
ye  may  know  and  believe  me,  and  understand  that 
I  am  He:  Before  Me  there  was  no  God  formed,  (or 
nothing  formed  of  God),  neither  shall  there  be  after 
me." 

God  has  taught  us  by  His  prophets,  that  we 
shall  understand  Him  through  that  Form  or  Mani- 
festation. He  has  called  that  Form  "His  Servant." 
Prof  Cheyne  has  pointed  out  that  the  ''Chosen 
Servant "  mentioned  in  the  52d  and  53d  chapters 
of  Isaiah,  is  the  "  Manifestation  of  the  Being." 

This  is  the  "Word"  secluded  behind  the  "Veils 
of  Might,"  which  descended  to  earth,  taking  the 
image  in  which  man  was  created.  This  is  the 
Tree  of  Knowledge  or  the  First  Adam,  the  symbol 
of  our  grafting  into  God  by  knowing  good  from 
evil.  This  is  the  first  Manifestation  of  God  in 
Himself  (in  His  Chosen  Image),  which  appeared 
upon  earth  in  the  person  of  Melchisedek. 

It  may  be  asked  why  He  is  called  the  first 
Adam,  when  He  appeared  upon  earth  in  the  human 
form,  long  after  the  creation  of  man.  He  is  called 
the  first  Adam  because  God  the  Almighty,  from 
eternity,  had  determined  to  manifest  Himself  in 
this  form  and  therefore  as  we  are  made  after  His 
Image,  the  design  or  pattern  of  this  Image,  which 
existed  in  the  mind  of  God,  must  be  considered  as 


284  Adam  (Cain  and  Abel). 

first.  The  human  creature,  moulded  according  to 
this  pattern,  must  be  second.  Furthermore,  as 
His  appearance  was  to  be  a  Manifestation  of  God 
to  His  creatures,  He  must  appear  after  the  creation 
of  man,  in  order  to  be  a  Manifestation  to  our  race. 

Other  important  questions  arise, — as  God  is  One, 
invisible  and  incomprehensible  to  His  creatures, 
will  not  He  the  Infinite  and  His  visible  Manifesta- 
tion, be  two  Gods  ?  If  we  are  to  consider  both  as 
the  One  God,  is  not  the  Infinite  limited  to  His 
Manifestation  ?  As  God  is  omnipresent,  how  is  it 
possible  for  the  omnipresent  Infinite  to  be  thus 
limited,  confined,  and  comprehensible  to  His  crea- 
tures ? 

The  Manifestation  of  God  in  human  form,  is 
the  Face  of  the  Infinite  which  can  be  seen,  but 
the  Infinite  is  neither  confined  to  the  Face,  nor 
separated  from  it.  Everything  in  existence  has 
an  appearance  or  face,  which  makes  it  known  and 
visible,  yet  it  cannot  be  confined  to  its  face,  nor 
can  its  face  be  separated  from  it.  They  are  one. 
Man  is  known  by  His  face  or  external  appear- 
ance. The  real  entity,  the  internal  man  is  not 
known  to  us.  As  this  entity  or  internal  being 
cannot  be  termed  one  and  his  face  another,  so  also 
the  Infinite  and  the  Manifestation  or  Face  of  the 
Infinite,  are  One  and  not  two.  Likewise  the  In- 
finite is  not  confined  to  His  Manifestation.  The 
Infinite  is  the  internal  Being  back  of  the  Mani- 
festation, not  confined,  not  limited,  not  compre- 
hensible, but  Almighty,  Omnipresent  and  Illimita- 
ble, yet  One  with  the  Manifestation.     The  Infinite 


Adam  (Cain  and  Abel).  285 

may  be  likened  to  a  light,  and  the  focus  of  that 
light  is  the  human  form  of  His  Manifestation, 
through  which  His  Powers,  Blessings,  Gifts,  and 
Greatness  are  revealed  to  His  creatures. 

This  lesson  teaches  us  that  the  souls  of  our  race 
were  in  existence  before  their  coming  to  earth,  and 
that  from  their  will  and  accord,  they  undergo  the 
hardships  of  environment  in  the  flesh,  in  order  to 
attain  Divinity.  Their  coming  is  termed  the  "  Fall 
of  Man  ; "  "  cast  downward ' '  from  the  Paradise  of 
God. 

Origen,  Vol.  i,  p.  256 — "The  Scriptures  have 
called  the  Creation  of  the  world,  by  a  new  and  pe- 
culiar name  terming  it  "Ka-ta-bon"  which  has  been 
very  improperly  translated  into  Latin  by  "  consti- 
tutio"  for  in  Greek  "Ka-ta-bon"  signifies  rather 
"dejicere"  i.  e.  "to  cast  downward,"  a  word  which 
has  been  improperly  translated  into  Latin  by  the 
phrase  "  constitutio  mundi,"  as  in  the  Gospel  of 
St.  John  where  Jesus  says — "And  there  will  be 
tribulations  in  those  days,  such  as  was  not  since 
the  beginning  of  the  world  "  in  which  passage  is 
rendered  by  beginning  (constitutio)  which  is  to  be 
understood  as  above  explained  (i.  e.  there  will  be 
tribulations  such  as  was  not  since  the  world  was 
cast  downward).  The  Apostle  also  in  the  Epistle 
to  the  Ephesians  i,  4 — "According  as  he  hath 
chosen  us  in  him  before  the  foundation  of  the 
world,  that  we  should  be  holy  and  without  blame 
before  him  in  love,"  has  employed  the  same  lan- 
guage. He  calls  foundation  "Ka-ta-bon"  to  be 
understood  in  the  same  sense  as  before.    I  am  of  the 


286  Adam  (Cain  and  Abel). 

opinion  that  as  the  end  and  consummation  of  the 
saints  will  be  in  those  (ages)  which  are  not  seen 
and  are  eternal,  we  must  conclude  that  the  rational 
creatures  had  also  a  similar  beginning,  they  existed 
undoubtedly  from  the  very  beginning  in  those 
(ages)  which  are  not  seen  and  are  eternal,  and  if 
this  is  so,  then  there  has  been  a  descent  from  a 
higher  to  a  lower  condition,  and  for  the  sake  of 
those  for  whom  the  arrangement  was  necessary 
this  visible  world  was  also  called  into  being. 
From  this  it  follows  that  by  the  use  of  the  word 
"Ka-ta-bon"  a  descent  from  a  higher  to  a  lower  con- 
dition, shared  by  all  in  common,  would  seem  to  be 
pointed  out.  We  are,  indeed,  to  suppose  that  the 
world  was  created  of  such  quality  and  capacity  as 
to  contain  not  only  all  of  those  souls,  but  also  all 
those  powers  which  prepared  to  attend  and  serve 
and  assist  them." 

Pre-existence  of  the  soul  can  be  logically  proved. 
Furthermore,  it  can  be  shown  that  we  came  upon 
the  earth  by  our  own  choice  and  consent.  God  has 
given  us  the  three  ways  of  reason,  revelation  and 
record,  by  which  to  convince  ourselves  of  a  truth. 
Reason  is  older  than  record.  Jesus  said — I^uke 
12,57 — "Yea  and  why  even  of  yourselves  judge 
ye  not  what  is  right?'*  In  "Conflict  of  Ages" 
Beecher  says  ''But  there  have  been  and  still  are 
those  who  think  so  much  more  of  the  verbal  revela- 
tions of  God  than  of  any  other,  that  they  almost 
overlook  the  fact  that  the  foundation  of  all  possible 
knowledge  has  been  laid  by  God  in  the  conscious- 
ness and  the  intuitive  perceptions  of  the   mind 


Adam  (Cain  and  Abel).  287 

itself.  Forgetful  of  this  fact,  they  have  often,  by 
unfounded  interpretations  of  Scripture,  done  vio- 
lence to  the  mind  and  over-ruled  the  decisions 
made  by  God  Himself  through  it,  and  then  sought 
shelter  in  faith  and  mystery. " 

Careful  consideration  of  the  question  of  soul  pre- 
existence,  and  willingness  to  undergo  the  process 
of  environment  in  the  body,  will  show  that  human 
life  must  come  under  one  of  three  possible  con- 
ditions. 

First: — ^That  the  soul,  by  its  own  choice  and 
consent,  came  into  the  body  from  a  previous  state 
of  existence. 

Second: — That  the  soul,  without  choice  or  con- 
sent, came  into  the  body  from  a  previous  state  of 
existence. 

Third: — That  the  soul,  without  knowledge  or 
choice  of  its  own,  was  created  and  placed  in  the 
body  at  the  time  of  birth. 

No  other  conditions  are  conceivable.  The  ques- 
tion, in  reality  centres  upon  the  third  named  con- 
dition, since  the  other  two  imply  pre-existence. 
Was  the  soul  created  and  placed  in  the  body  at  the 
time  of  birth  ;  without  knowledge  or  choice  of  its 
environment?  The  impossibility  of  this  condition 
can  be  shown  as  follows : 

A — Man  alone,  of  all  visible  creation,  possesses 
the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil.  The  function  of 
this  gift  is  unmistakably  to  enable  him  to  rise 
above  his  limitation.  His  existence  upon  earth 
therefore,  is  to  accomplish  elevation  to  a  higher 
attitude  before  God  his  Creator.      As  his  earth  life 


388  Adam  (Cain  and  Abel). 

is  the  process  by  wbich  his  victory  or  failure  is 
determined,  man  is  clearly  responsible  for  his 
actions.  In  this  fact,  he  diflfers  from  all  other  crea- 
tures, which  not  possessing  the  knowledge  of  good 
and  evil,  are  unable  to  rise  above  their  limitations 
and  therefore  are  not  responsible.  God  the  Creator 
is  responsible  for  them. 

God  is  infinitely  just.  As  this  earth  life  is  a 
process  of  hardship  and  suffering,  it  is  not  reason- 
able to  believe  that  He  would  force  us  against  our 
wills  or  without  choice,  to  undergo  it.  The  fact 
that  we  are  independent  creatures,  therefore  proves 
that  we  were  not  created  and  placed  in  the  body  at 
the  time  of  birth,  but  came  from  a  previous  exist- 
ence into  the  body,  by  our  own  choice. 

B — If  souls  were  created  and  forced  to  come  into 
the  body  at  the  time  of  birth,  God  has  imposed 
upon  us  a  process  of  suffering,  pain,  distress  and 
death,  which  the  greater  part  of  humanity  would 
refuse  if  they  had  the  power  of  choosing,  even 
though  the  purpose  of  this  process  is  to  rise  to  a 
higher  attitude  before  Him.  As  we  could  not  at- 
tribute to  God,  any  action  of  injustice  or  cruelty 
toward  His  creatures,  we  cannot  believe  that  He 
forced  us  to  come  here  without  the  knowledge  or 
choice  of  coming. 

C — The  purpose  of  our  existence  here,  being  that 
of  attaining  Him,  God  would  not  force  us  to  come 
helplessly,  to  accomplish  that  which  He  could 
accomplish  for  us  by  a  word  of  His  Almighty  Com- 
mand. There  would  be  no  reason  or  justice  in  His 
action  of  condemning  us  to  suffering  and  death, 


Adam  (Cain  and  Abel).  289 

when  He  could  accomplish  His  purpose  in  us,  with- 
out it. 

D — If  we  were  forced  to  come  here  or  given  no 
choice  in  our  coming,  God  is  responsible  for  all  the 
sin,  wickedness  and  inhumanity  of  this  world  ; 
which  is  an  impossible  belief  to  sustain.  Our  in- 
dependence disproves  it  His  Infinite  Justice,  Love 
and  Mercy  would  be  destroyed  by  such  an  assump- 
tion. As  sin,  suflfering,  and  all  ills  which  assail  us, 
are  consequences  of  our  own  actions,  and  as  we  are 
clearly  responsible  for  them,  there  is  no  possible 
condition  except  that  we  existed  before,  and  chose 
to  undergo  this  difficult  process,  responsible  for  our 
actions  and  willing  to  be  judged  according  to  the 
"  deeds  done  in  the  body." 

E — As  the  material  ingredients  of  that  composi- 
tion known  as  the  body,  were  in  existence  before 
the  body  was  formed,  and  as  birth  is  the  union  or 
partnership  between  soul  and  body,  it  is  evident 
that  the  soul  likewise  must  have  existed  before  it 
was  conjoined  to  make  man.  Furthermore,  the 
soul  must  have  possessed  its  powers  or  attributes 
before  its  environment  in  this  house  of  material 
substance.  Unquestionably  it  possessed  the  power 
of  will,  endowed  by  the  creative  hand.  As  every 
action  of  God  is  good,  and  a  law  of  perfection,  it 
follows  that  He  would  not  violate  His  law  by  de- 
priving us  of  the  power  of  will ;  that  is  to  say, 
forcing  our  souls  to  come  upon  the  earth,  either 
against  our  wills  or  without  volition  upon  the 
question  of  coming. 

From   the  foregoing  reasonable  arguments,  we 


290  Adam  (Cain  and  Abel). 

must  logically  conclude  that  in  view  of  our  intel- 
lectual endowment,  v/hich  reflects  God's  purpose  in 
human  existence ;  in  view  of  the  conditions  which 
surround  us  in  our  earthly  environment,  and  accord- 
ing to  the  administration  of  the  Infinite  Justice  of 
God,  which  must  be  admitted  to  exist,  our  souls 
were  not  created  and  placed  in  the  body  at  the  time 
of  birth.  Upon  the  same  basis  of  consideration,  it 
is  clearly  shown  that  the  soul  was  not  forced  to 
come  into  the  body  against  its  will.  By  elimina- 
tion, therefore,  we  reach  the  only  remaining  con- 
dition and  prove  its  truth  ;  that  the  soul  by  its 
own  choice  and  knowledge,  came  from  a  previous 
existence,  to  undergo  the  test  and  process  of  incar- 
nation. 

This  conclusion  explains  all  human  conditions; 
establishes  the  independence  of  man,  sustains  his 
evident  responsibility  and  is  the  only  conceivable 
belief  in  harmony  with  the  Wisdom  and  Justice  of 
God.  It  supports  Scriptural  record,  is  the  very 
strongest  evidence  of  soul  immortality,  and  proves 
that  we  shall  be  judged  according  to  our  use  or 
misuse  of  the  God  power  of  independence,  as 
worthy  or  unworthy  of  being  grafted  to  Him  and 
attaining  knowledge  of  His  creative  secrets. 

Christ  taught  the  pre-existence  of  the  soul  and 
its  willingness  to  undergo  probation  upon  earth,  in 
the  parable  of  the  so-called  "  Prodigal  Son."  Luke 
15th.  The  ordinary  incorrect  understanding  of 
this  parable,  arises  from  the  error  of  its  title.  For 
this,  we  must  thank  our  English  translators.  The 
original  Greek  has  no  title,  and  the  word  ' '  prodi- 


Adam  (Cain  and  Abel).  291 

gal "  is  not  once  used  in  the  parable.  On  account 
of  the  term  "prodigal,"  we  have  considered  the 
younger  son  as  a  sinner,  when  in  reality  the  Father 
preferred  him  in  love  and  honor. 

In  this  divine  revelation  by  Christ,  the  younger 
son  represents  Adam,  our  race.  Every  human 
soul  is  therefore  a  "younger  son,"  and  God  is  the 
Father,  from  whose  house  the  soul  "journeyed 
into  a  far  country  "  taking  its  "  portion  "  or  inheri- 
tance of  goods.  We  read  that  the  son  asked  for 
this  portion,  of  his  own  accord,  and  received  it. 
This  portion  or  share  of  inheritance,  was  the  means 
or  capital  of  endowment  by  which  he  meant  to  in- 
crease himself  and  become  like  his  Father.  After 
receiving  it,  he  left  his  Father's  house,  exactly  as 
Adam  left  the  Garden  of  Eden,  and  journeyed  into 
a  far  country,  the  earth,  to  accomplish  his  purpose. 
He  failed.  Being  finite,  he  could  not  attain  with- 
out the  help  of  his  Father.  He  committed  sins, 
fell  into  mistakes  and  lived  riotously,  until  we  find 
him  eating  husks  with  swine,  typifying  a  soul's 
miserable  existence  and  association  with  wicked- 
ness and  spiritual  depravity.  When  in  this  low 
state,  he  examined  himself  honestly,  realized  the 
poverty  of  his  condition,  his  own  helplessness,  and 
understood  that  none  could  help  him  into  a  higher 
state,  but  his  Father.  "  And  he  arose  and  came  to 
his  Father.  But  when  he  was  yet  a  great  way  off, 
his  Father  saw  him  and  had  compassion  and  ran 
and  fell  on  his  neck  and  kissed  him."  When  we 
realize  our  helpless  condition  and  turn  one  step  to 
God,  He  comes  toward  us  miles  and  leagues.    This 


292  Adam  (Cain  and  Abel). 

teaches  us,  however,  that  from  our  own  independ- 
ence, we  must  take  that  first  step.  The  Father 
commanded  His  servants  to  put  "  the  best  robe " 
upon  His  penitent  son ;  a  "ring  upon  his  hand," 
"shoes  upon  his  feet;"  and  "a  fatted  calf"  to  be 
killed.  The  "  robe  "  is  the  garment  of  the  Glory 
and  Majesty  of  God,  which  we  shall  share  with 
Him;  the  "shoes"  symbolize  endurance,  firmness, 
steadfastness,  or  rather,  justice  —  enabling  us  to 
walk  confidently  without  sin,  making  us  just  and 
firm,  as  He  is.  The  "ring  "  is  the  symbol  of  adop- 
tion. We  are  promised  as  children  of  God,  that  we 
shall  share  His  dominion  over  the  universe.  This 
is  the  meaning  of  Romans  8,  17 — "And  if  children, 
then  heirs,  heirs  of  God  and  joint  heirs  with  Christ, 
if  so  be  that  we  suffer  with  him,  that  we  also  be 
glorified  together."  The  "  fatted  calf"  typifies  the 
blessings,  powers  and  gifts  which  God  the  Father 
will  give  unto  all,  who,  like  Abel,  render  Him  the 
sacrifice  of  a  spiritual  life. 

"  Now  His  elder  son  was  in  the  field."  By  this, 
Christ  taught  that  there  is  a  race  of  souls  in  the 
Paradise  of  God,  created  before  our  race.  * '  In  the 
field  "  denotes  that  this  race  of  angels  is  engaged 
in  the  work  of  messengers  in  the  spiritual  realms. 
"Angel"  means  "messenger."  This  race  of 
angels,  realizing  that  our  race  had  attained  the 
greatest  blessings  and  highest  position  in  the 
Father's  house,  is  represented  as  expressing  dis- 
satisfaction. The  Father's  rebuke,  however,  proved 
the  justice  of  His  action  toward  our  race.  "  Son, 
thou  art  ever  with  Me,  and  all  that  I  have  is  thine. 


Adam  (Cain  and  Abel).  293 

It  was  meet  that  we  should  make  merry  and  glad  ; 
for  this  thy  brother  was  dead  and  is  alive  again, 
and  was  lost  and  is  found. " 

We  learn  from  this,  that  the  angels,  not  having 
ventured  like  man,  did  not  merit  the  high  position 
and  honor  conferred  upon  our  race  for  our  trial  and 
victorious  return.  It  is  meet,  therefore,  that  they 
should  rejoice  for  the  salvation  of  man,  who  "was 
dead  and  is  alive  again,  was  lost  and  is  found." 
By  the  Father's  statement  "all  that  I  have  is 
thine,"  we  do  not  understand  that  the  angels  are 
equal  with  God  and  have  all  the  possessions  of  God 
in  unlimited  perfection,  but  that  they  possess  and 
enjoy  everything  belonging  to  God  in  that  limita- 
tion wherein  He  created  them.  God  would  not 
create  anything  imperfect  in  its  limitation.  This 
would  violate  His  absolute  perfection.  The  angels 
therefore  possess  all  which  God  created  for  their 
particular  limitation.  If  they  possessed  all  that 
God  the  Father  possesses,  the  elder  son  in  the 
Christ  parable  would  not  have  complained  * '  and 
yet  thou  never  gavest  me  a  kid. " 

Although  our  race,  man,  is  the  younger  son,  we 
shall  rise  above  the  angels  older  and  greater  than 
we  were.  This  explains  the  8th  Psalm  4  to  6 — 
"What  is  man  that  Thou  art  mindful  of  him  ?  For 
Thou  hast  made  him  a  little  lower  than  the  angels 
and  Thou  hast  crowned  him  with  glory  and  honor. 
Thou  madest  him  to  have  dominion  over  the  works 
of  Thy  hands ;  Thou  hast  put  all  things  under  his 
feet." 

It  will  be  observed  that  in  the  Christ  parable, 


294  Adam  (Cain  and  Abel). 

our  race  and  the  other  races  of  angels,  are  termed 
the  "Sons  of  God."  The  question  arises  "how 
shall  we  become  '  Sons  of  God '  as  a  reward  for  vic- 
torious earth  life,  if  we  are  already  His  sons?" 
Man  and  the  angels  are  the  sons  of  God,  and  God  is 
the  Father,  figuratively,  upon  the  ground  that  all 
are  the  production  of  His  creative  power,  just  as  a 
son  of  earthly  parents,  is  the  outcome  of  their  power 
of  reproduction.  The  substance  or  essence  of 
finite  creatures,  however,  is  not  the  same  as  that  of 
God.  If  it  were,  we  would  be  self-existent,  self- 
independent,  perfect  and  uncreated  as  He  is.  The 
*'  Son-ship  "  of  reward,  is  not  figurative,  but  is  the 
naturalization  of  our  essence  into  the  nature  of  His 
essence,  by  being  bom  of  the  Spirit  and  grafted 
into  Him.  This  is  the  reality  of  our  becoming  the 
"Sons  of  God;"  the  adoption,  the  grafting  into 
the  Tree  of  L/ife.  This  high  position  of  reward  is 
only  afforded  to  the  race  of  man  and  cannot  be 
attained  by  the  other  races  of  the  hosts  of  heaven, 
who  have  not  ventured  as  we  did,  to  be  tested  and 
proved  worthy. 

As  already  explained  concerning  Adam,  the  tab- 
let of  memory  is  locked  and  sealed,  so  that  in 
coming  upon  the  earth,  we  do  not  remember  our 
former  existence.  This  is  necessary,  in  order  that 
we  may  exercise  our  independence  and  show  our 
standard  of  love  for  Him,  of  our  own  will  and 
accord.  If  we  remembered  prenatal  conditions, 
our  independence  would  be  influenced  and  its  exer- 
cise destroyed,  nor  could  our  mortal  being  endure 
the  knowledge  of  our  former  state.     We  would  be 


Adam  (Cain  and  Abel).  295 

overwhelmed  by  its  greatness,  and  death  would 
ensue.  We  could  not  even  endure  the  strain  of 
our  experiences  in  different  incarnations  upon  this 
earth.  Although  memory  is  locked,  yet  our  intel- 
lectual powers  prove  that  we  are  here  for  a  great 
purpose.  Innumerable  earthly  cares  and  pleasures 
make  us  negligent  in  seeking  to  know  and  accom- 
plish that  purpose,  by  enchaining  the  soul  until 
it  becomes  oblivious  to  the  vital  question  of  earthly 
existence. 

If  the  soul  of  man  was  created  perfect  in  its 
limitation,  why  should  we  desire  anything  more  ? 
Why  should  we  wish  to  rise  above  that  limitation  ? 
The  creatures  of  God  are  divided  into  two  classes, 
intellectual  and  inanimate.  The  inanimate  crea- 
tures have  no  intelligence  and  must  forever  remain 
perfect  in  their  limitation,  without  knowledge  or 
.consciousness  of  their  existence.  The  intellectual 
creatures  are  given  intelligence,  by  which  they 
comprehend  the  fact  and  extent  of  their  limitation, 
otherwise  they  would  not  be  perfect  in  that  limita- 
tion. It  follows  that  they  must  have  the  realiza- 
tion that  they  are  limited;  the  consciousness  that 
there  is  greater  knowledge  and  less  limitation 
beyond  them.  This  produces  desire  and  longing  to 
to  attain  that  which  is  beyond;  an  unrest  inherent 
in  the  soul  of  man;  an  aspiration  common  to  all 
our  race.  From  it,  developed  the  courage  we  dis- 
played in  consenting  to  endure  the  hardships  of 
our  earthly  process.  Without  this  courage,  we 
would  have  remained  forever  contented  in  our 
former  limitation.  These  two  conditions  express 
our  present  state  and  the  state  of  the  angels. 


296  Adam  (Cain  and  Abel). 

In  support  of  the  soul's  pre-existence,  we  quote 
from  "  Secrets  of  Enoch  "  23,  4-5 — "AndVretil 
said  to  me,  All  the  things  which  I  have  told  thee, 
thou  hast  written  down.  Sit  down  and  write  all 
about  the  souls  of  men,  those  of  them  which  are 
not  born  and  the  places  prepared  for  them  forever. 
For  every  soul  was  created  eternally  before  the 
foundation  of  the  world." 

Summing  up  the  three  great  points  of  this  and 
the  preceding  chapter,  we  arrive  at  the  solution  of 
the  all-important  questions.  Whence  came  we? 
What  is  our  purpose  here  ?     Whither  going  ? 

We  have  learned  that  we  were  a  race  of  souls,  liv- 
ing in  the  spiritual  realms,  the  Paradise  of  God ; 
created  by  God,  subject  to  limitation,  perfect  in 
that  limitation  ;  incapable  of  rising  higher,  yet 
possessing  an  endowment  of  knowledge  which  en- 
abled us  to  realize  our  condition  of  limitation. 
Our  race  of  souls  was  without  sin,  suffering  or 
death  ;  without  knowledge  of  good  and  evil.  We 
asked  God  our  Creator  to  allow  us  to  rise  higher 
in  knowledge  of  Him.  He  granted  us  that  privi- 
lege, upon  condition  that  we  should  undergo  life 
upon  earth,  imprisoned  in  these  bodies  of  flesh, 
taking  with  us  the  gift  of  the  knowledge  of  good 
and  evil,  tobejudged  according  to  the  use  we  made 
of  it.  Under  this  condition  imposed  upon  us  by 
our  Creator,  if  we  lived  according  to  the  spirit, 
making  the  sacrifice  of  love  for  Him,  we  should 
return  to  Paradise  to  eat  of  the  Tree  of  Life  and  be 
naturalized  into  Him  as  His  children.  If,  on  the 
contrary,  we  sought  evil,  neglecting  our  spiritual 


Adam  (Cain  and  Abel).  297 

duties,  we  should  return  as  Cain  returned,  to  live 
in  the  land  of  Nod,  forever  deprived  of  adoption 
into  the  Divine  Nature  of  God.  Under  this  con- 
dition, we  must  be  either  Cains  or  Abels.  There 
is  no  middle  ground  of  accomplishment.  "He 
who  is  not  for  me  is  against  me."  Christ,  our  ex- 
ample, was  the  Prince  of  Abels. 

The  longevity  of  the  patriarchs,  as  recorded  in 
Genesis,  has  proved  a  puzzle  to  many  who  read  the 
Holy  Book  literally.  It  is  said  that  Adam  lived 
nine  hundred  and  thirty  years ;  Methusaleh  nine 
hundred  and  sixty-nine  years,  etc.  A  great  variety 
of  opinion  has  been  advanced  concerning  this  ex- 
treme length  of  life.  It  is  claimed  that  the  human 
body,  in  those  far  oflf  times,  possessed  greater 
vitality  than  in  later  years  ;  that  simple  methods  of 
living  prolonged  existence ;  that  the  ages  men- 
tioned were  not  individual  ages,  but  aggregated  the 
years  of  important  men  in  their  particular  tribes  ; 
that  the  year  was  originally  but  three  months  in 
length,  etc.  etc.  The  length  of  the  year  and  the 
coming  of  the  seasons,  caused  by  the  revolution  of 
the  earth  about  the  sun,  has  always  been  and  will 
always  be  the  same.  This  is  proved  by  the  instinct 
of  birds  and  animals.  In  Genesis  8,  22 — "While 
the  earth  remaineth,  seedtime  and  harvest,  and 
cold  and  heat,  and  summer  and  winter,  and  day 
and  night  shall  not  cease."  Science  shows  that 
the  human  body  is  not  adapted  to  an  existence 
much  beyond  one  hundred  years.  For  these  rea- 
sons, we  must  conclude  that  men,  in  ancient  times, 
did  not  live  beyond  the  present  normal  period.     It 


298  Adam  (Cain  and  Abel). 

is  said  in  Genesis  6,  3 — "  My  spirit  shall  not  always 
strive  with  man,  for  that  he  is  also  flesh ;  yet  his 
days  shall  be  an  hundred  and  twenty  years." 
Many  of  the  g^eat  ages  are  recorded  in  Genesis, 
before  this  verse,  but  even  after  it,  we  read  that 
"  The  days  of  Noah  were  nine  hundred  and  fifty 
years,"  while  many  others  bear  the  statement  of 
extreme  longevity.     (See  Genesis  11,  10  to  32.) 

The  ages  of  these  ancients  are  not  to  be  taken 
literally,  but  must  be  understood  in  their  special 
significance.  Orientals  have  always  reverenced 
old  age  and  esteemed  it  as  associated  with  wisdom. 
The  greatest  compliment  a  young  man  can  receive 
in  the  Bast,  is  to  be  told  that  he  is  "very  old." 
Upon  this  principle,  the  patriarchs  and  prophets 
commanded  the  highest  veneration  and  respect; 
and  the  great  age  ascribed  to  them,  was  a  measure 
of  their  wisdom  instead  of  their  actual  length  of 
years.  Looming  up  in  importance  as  they  did 
above  their  fellow-men,  their  influence  and  knowl- 
edge extended  over  great  periods,  connecting  them 
with  important  and  illustrious  men  who  lived  after 
them.  From  this,  we  see  that  such  personages 
bore  a  renown  for  wisdom,  which  represented  the 
experience  of  many  centuries,  although  their  lives 
in  reality  were  of  normal  length.  The  age  of  their 
importance  was  therefore  recorded  of  them,  as  we 
see  in  the  mythology  of  the  Ancient  Chaldeans  and 
Egyptians,  as  well  as  in  our  Bible.  In  Revelations 
20,  6 — "  Blessed  and  holy  is  he  that  hath  part  in 
the  first  resurrection,  on  such  the  second  death  hath 
no  power,  but  they  shall  be  priests  of  God  and  of 


Adam  (Cain  and  Abel.)  299 

Christ,  and  shall  reign  with  Him  a  thousand 
years."  Here  a  "  thousand  years  "  means  a  dura- 
tion of  life  full  of  the  knowledge  and  wisdom  of 
God;  an  expression  of  honor  and  respect.  The 
longevity  ascribed  to  the  ancient  men  is,  therefore, 
a  title  of  honor  and  respect,  given  to  them  as  godly 
personages,  possessing  superior  knowledge  and 
wisdom. 


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